


Just So Long as You're There

by TinyTARDIS



Category: Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: AU, And definitely my lock screen, Cheesy romance, Fluff, M/M, Owen is life, Possible smut, Romance, Screw it - Freeform, definitely smut, like seriously, oneshots, shhhh, tons of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-04-11 16:17:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 33
Words: 48,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4442615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyTARDIS/pseuds/TinyTARDIS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one-shots for the Zowen (or Zachwen) (basically Owen Grady/Zach MItchell) pairing. Feel free to read my other work (that actually has a plot), "When I Come Around". Please leave suggestions! I love getting feedback!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Soft Zach, Warm Zach, Little Ball of...

**Author's Note:**

> Because sick Zach is adorable. And mother hen Owen is even more adorbs. Like seriously though. Zach. You've got the hunk of your dreams wanting to take care of you. STOP BEING STUPID.

“Oh for the love of fuck.”

 

Zach knocked the now-empty Kleenex box off of the couch's side table in frustration, sending it with a dull “Clunk!” to the floor. He sniffled with a tiny wince and looked around the tiny den, hoping to find at least one unused tissue. The floor was covered in wrinkled, white Kleenexes, and a rough blanket covered his shivering body. Owen had near about forced him to take Tylenol before leaving for work, and he could still taste the disgustingly sweet taste on his tongue. 

 

“I can take medicine without you watching me,” he had glared at Owen not thirty minutes before.

 

“I know you,” Owen had stared at him with his arms crossed expectantly. “You'd just dump it down the sink.”

 

“Do you seriously not own any pills? At all?” It came out almost like a whine, but he felt too feverish to feel embarrassed about it.

 

Owen just shook his head. “Look, Zachary-”

 

“-Don't you dare call me Zachary,” Zach glared threateningly. This was followed by a sniffle, and Owen resisted the urge to crack a smile.

 

Owen checked his time and sighed a little. “Okay. Zach. Either you take the medicine right now, or I swear to God, I'll force feed it to you like a five-year-old. Your choice.” He rose his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. On the inside, he was just laughing at how childish his boyfriend had become given the circumstances. 

 

“Damn you...” Zach muttered. He held the tiny cup to his nose and sniffed, wrinkling it immediately. “Ugh.”

 

“You have ten seconds before I pin you down and hold your nose.”

 

Zach glared at him and held his breath, tipping back the vile liquid into his sore throat. His gag reflex instantly threatened to send the medicine all over the floor, but he forced himself to hold it down. “Ughhhhh...” He whined, reaching for the glass of orange juice Owen held in one hand.

 

He was greeted with a satisfied smile. “Now. That wasn't so hard, was it?”

 

Zach gulped the beverage, trying to forget how disgusting medicine was. In under ten seconds, he'd downed the glass, and Owen refilled it with water. “That's the last of the juice,” he told him. “I'll have to get some on my way back from work.” He ushered Zach over to the couch, and he'd just collapsed without an argument. Owen unfolded a thick blanket and covered the younger boy's body. “Tissues are beside you. And please, at least TRY to get them in the wastebasket. I'll be back at lunch, okay?” He gave Zach a soft smile before pressing a tender kiss to his rather warm forehead. “Get some rest.” He patted Zach's side and rose to walk to the door.

 

“You get some rest,” Zach muttered under his breath, not caring that it wasn't a good comeback at all. He didn't feel like sleeping. All he wanted to do was get out of the cramped bungalow. Usually he just hung out and helped Owen while he was at work, but the older man was adamant about not allowing sick people near the raptors. 

 

“See ya later!” Owen called on his way outside.

 

“Yeah, yeah...” It was easy for him to be cheerful. He wasn't the one with a stuffy nose and sore throat. Not to mention the annoying 100 degree fever. And although he hated to act like a petulant child, Zach was sick of being treated like one. Which, in turn, only made him act like one. Honestly, he'd spent all morning fending of “Mother Owen”. It would be cute if he wasn't so grumpy, but at the moment all he wanted to do was curl up in a hole.

 

And so not thirty minutes later, he was stretched out, bored, and without tissues. Fuck. The only thing giving him amusement was purposely missing the wastebasket that was literally right beside him. To make matters worse, there wasn't anything new to watch on tv. He did, however, settle on reruns of Parks and Recreation. Through his slight fever haze, he found it amusing because Andy Dwyer looked like a chubby version of Owen. That brought him some minor satisfaction, but it didn't last long before he was back to brooding and wallowing in his sickness. Closing his eyes, he began to nod off, but there was a dull roar in his ears, and not just any roar. He scootched up a little on the couch, still shivering despite the wool blanket, and he tried to peer through the screen door. The roar stopped after a minute, and he heard heavy footsteps until Owen came in, carrying two bags from the local food store the island had for employees.

 

“Owen?” He asked thickly. It wasn't even close to lunchtime yet.

 

The attractive raptor trainer stepped further in and set the bags on the countertop of the kitchen. “How're you feeling?” He stepped up to Zach and leaned to press the back of his hand to his forehead. This time, Zach didn't fight him.

 

“Good. Fever's gone down.” He stepped back and walked to the bags he'd put down, rummaging.

 

“What are you doing here?” Zach asked in a stuffy voice. 

 

“Well,” Owen answered, pulling out something from one of the bags, “I felt bad leaving you here all day by yourself while you're sick, so I took the day off to stay with you.” He held up a jug of orange juice. “Got your Vitamin C.” He put it on the counter and pulled out two boxes of Kleenex tissues. “Seeing as how you managed to displace the entire box onto my floor...” He eyed the piles of tissues littering the area around the couch and coffee table. He placed a box beside Zach.

 

“Thanks,” he murmured quietly.

 

“Mmhm.” He stepped back and went to a kitchen cabinet, returning with a thermometer. “Open,” he commanded.

 

“You already-oomph!” Zach was silenced when the thermometer was suddenly placed under his tongue. He silently glared at Owen, only grunting in protest when he was denied the right to hold the thermometer himself. Damn overprotective boyfriend. It beeped after a few moments, and Owen pulled it out to read the face. 

 

“99.3. Better.”

 

“I can take my own temperature.”

 

Owen ignored him and went back to put the tool up. He rummaged around and poured Zach a full glass of orange juice, placing it on the side table. He went back to the bags for a minute, and Zach frowned at how pitiful he felt. “You didn't have to take off work for me, you know? I'll be fine.” He really did appreciate how much Owen seemed to care, but being sick called for lots of alone time. 

 

“Yeah, yeah...” Owen teased. He pulled out something that peaked Zach's attention. “And how about now?” It was the complete Resident Evil movie collection. A guilty pleasure of Zach's that only Owen knew about.

 

He allowed the ghost of a smile to cross his face. “Okay...” Maybe he could put up with Owen smothering him for a while. After all, he was getting presents...

 

“Thought so.” Owen spent a moment unwrapping the movies before crossing to the dvd player and popping the first one in. He avoided the minefield of tissues and noticed how Zach was shivering. “Are you still cold?”

 

Zach shrugged, or at least he gave a bigger shiver. “I'm fine.”

 

“Would you stop trying to pretend you aren't sick?” Owen rolled his eyes and strode to the couch, yanking off the blanket.

 

“Hey!” Zach whined.

 

“Oh, stop whining.” Owen fluidly moved Zach away from the back of the couch and hopped up to stretch out behind him, extending his muscular arms out to provide a new blanket of warmth. He nestled his face in Zach's neck, blowing out a little huff of air. “Better?”

 

God, Zach desperately wanted to shove away. He wanted to hole up by his lonesome and mope about. He wanted Owen to know he was practically an adult who could manage being sick. One that didn't need a nurse tracking his every move, but... He felt those corded arms constrict around him tightly, and those whiskers he loved so much began to tickle his neck. The heat from Owen's large chest was so comforting, even more so than the blanket he'd used previously. A purr threatened to escape his throat. “Mmmm...” The approving noise was involuntary, but he didn't really care that much. Not anymore.

 

There was a soft chuckle, and Owen pressed a kiss against his neck. “Guess so, then.”

 

Zach lay there in the warmth, and sleep finally caught up to him. His eyes began to droop, not even paying attention to the Alice's badass zombie-killing moves on the television. He focused on Owen's breathing, and everything dulled to a low hum until he finally dropped off.

 

It took Owen a while to notice his boyfriend was snoozing against him. It was only when he looked down to see Zach's reaction to a particularly badass stunt that he noticed the closed eyes and lack of sniffling. A tiny smile crossed his face, one free of any cockiness or sarcasm, and he habitually reached to brush the boy's hair off his forehead, pleased that the heat had gone down. Movie forgotten, he watched Zach peacefully sleep, thinking all the while, 'God, I love you.' And although this made him sound like a bad person...Zach was kinda cute when he was sick.

 

*The next day*

 

Zach yawned and strode through the kitchen and den, into the tiny bedroom he shared with Owen. “Mornin',” he greeted. “Man, I feel way better.”

 

And then he was greeted with a sneeze.

 

Followed by a simultaneous, “Dammit!”


	2. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach has nightmares. Owen has hugs. Fluff ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the website was down last night for some reason, so I couldn't post. I'm really sorry about that! But here it is!

Zach knew that he shouldn't be doing this. It seemed far too early (and perhaps a bit scary) to move in with Owen. In fact, it was only because of the weeks of begging, bribes, and sexy promises that won him over. Not to mention Owen had spent five whole minutes giving him pleading puppy-dog eyes from across their booth table at the small pizzeria they were at. His mind kept arguing with itself. Staying with Owen would be fun. Staying with Owen might get annoying. Staying with Owen was the perfect next step in their relationship. Staying with Owen would be moving too fast in the relationship. Back and forth he debated, but even Zach Mitchell could only resist the charm of Owen Grady for so long.

 

“Fine!” He'd finally relented. “Just stop giving me that look!”

 

Owen's pleading eyes twinkled with smugness, and he settled back into his seat, trying to hide the overly-wide smile already spreading across his face. “Good. So you'll stay tonight?” He batted his eyelashes flirtatiously, but it came off more hilarious than anything else.

 

Zach bit back a chuckle, the butterflies in his stomach beginning to settle. “...Okay.”

 

Owen released his pent-up smile and drummed his fingers on the wooden table happily. “You won't regret this,” he told Zach happily. He seemed really content with how the situation turned out. Actually, he had expected more a resistance; he made a mental note to use his puppy-dog eyes in the future. 

 

“You don't snore, do you?” Zach teased playfully. 

 

“Dunno,” Owen shrugged. “No one's ever stuck around long enough to tell me.”

 

Zach was unsure of whether to feel jealous of his previous sexual partners or flattered that he was the only one who got to stay with him. Thinking about Owen with other people only made him touchy, so he just dropped the subject, and he set about trailing his finger lazily through the ring of condensation left by his glass of soda. 

 

Owen frowned slightly as he noticed Zach's silence, so he put on a small smile and reached over to grasp the tips of Zach's fingers. “No one was ever good enough.” He squeezed a little, and Zach finally met his gaze.

 

“Nice recover,” he noted.

 

“Come on.” Owen chuckled and tossed a five dollar bill on the table. “Let's go.”

 

Zach followed Owen out of the restaurant and onto his bike, wrapping his arms tightly around the older man's waist without a second thought. For a moment, he remembered the first time he'd ridden with Owen. He'd been an awkward, embarrassed mess. Owen literally had to grabs his arms and pull them around himself. It was a good thing he couldn't see how dark Zach's face had gotten.

 

The best part about Owen's land was that it was relatively close to the mainland while being secluded at the same time. They could be in the populated area within eight minutes, but they could also stay home and be as loud as they wanted. Zach had to admit, living with Owen would save a buttload of gas by not making his daily trips to the bungalow.

 

Owen was his usual flirtatious self once they finally got inside, casually coming up behind Zach to slip his arms around his waist. A brush here, a rub there, the ghost of his breath against the back of Zach's neck. Any worries he had about staying with Owen were erased while his boyfriend worked his magic on him. Every touch was a gulp of water to a parched throat, and every kiss was a breath of fresh air to a drowning man. Owen's hands worked off all sorts of knots he hadn't realized had been there, and of course there were other parts of his body that granted him some relief. The finished together, a tangled mess of sweaty limbs and marked flesh on the freshly-washed bed sheets.

 

“Aren't you glad you don't have to run out on me?” Owen breathed into Zach's ear, his fingertips dancing across the smooth skin of his abdomen. 

 

Zach shivered at the ticklish feeling, pressing further into Owen's one-armed embrace. “I don't think I'd be able to anyways,” he laughed a little, gazing meaningfully at his numb legs. 

 

Owen chuckled and used the sheets to clean up some of the mess. “You really do know how to flatter a man, don't you?” Without warning, he reached over and flicked off the only source of light in the bungalow, plunging the room into sudden darkness.

 

Zach gave a little start until he realized what had happened, and he tried to disguise it by shifting his position, pressing his back against Owen's torso. He wasn't scared of the dark, but he did hate sudden surprises. Owen had learned his lesson about that when he snuck into Zach's resort room one night. To Zach's embarrassment, he had to seek medical treatment for a sprained nose, though it was his ego that had taken the most damage. Luckily, all had been forgiven, but Claire Dearing still wouldn't let the damn thing go.

 

Owen's chest rumbled in contentment with the position, pressing further in and curling one arm over Zach. The other arm was caught under his shoulder, but seeing as how nice it felt at the moment, he decided to let it remain. He could deal with a numb arm as long as there was a good reason for having it. Zach was definitely a good enough reason. He rested his head down and pressed a soft kiss on the back of Zach's neck. “Thank you,” he murmured quietly.

 

Zach took in the heavy arms holding him along with the warm body behind him, feeling safer than he had in a while on a dinosaur-infested island. “You're...welcome.” Maybe staying with Owen could help him in more ways than one. Maybe Owen didn't want to leave him after all. Maybe if he felt safe...then the nightmares wouldn't come. “Night.” It came out as a mere whisper, but he felt Owen smile against his skin.

 

“Goodnight, Zach.”

 

The room fell into pleasant silence, only the average sounds of nature beyond the walls to lull them to sleep. Owen (being Owen) dropped out like a rock, and soft breathing tickled Zach's ear. 'Thank god he doesn't snore,' he thought with some relief. But the problem wouldn't have been snoring anyways. It took a few more minutes than usual, as he wasn't used to the warmth of a body pressed to his, but Zach too finally dropped off.

 

**

 

Zach opened his eyes lazily at the ceiling and yawned loudly. His legs curled up while his arms stretched out, but his seeking fingertips were met only with cold and empty sheets. Curiously, he looked over and saw only a small piece of paper laying on Owen's side of the bed, half covered by the pillow. He rubbed his eyes to clear the sleep away and plucked up the note, reading to himself.

 

“Went to the paddock to do some early training. Be back at lunch. -Owen P.S. You snore.”

 

Zach rolled his eyes and wrapped the blankets around his shoulders. Sometime during the night, he'd gotten used to the human space heater beside him, and frankly the lack of body was uncomfortable. Or maybe it was just the fact that Owen had slipped out without so much as a goodbye. Either way, there was no chance of him getting back to sleep, so he just sat up and stepped out of bed, blankets still wrapped tightly around him. As hot as it was outside, Owen had rigged up a very functional AC system. Just as he was pulling on some clothes, the phone rang. Frowning to himself, he went over to where Owen kept the one main phone and picked up.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Zach? Oh, god. Oh, god, Zach!” The voice at the end was familiar but strangled.

 

“Aunt Claire?” He asked, worry knitting on his brow. “What is it? Are you okay?”

 

“Oh, Zach... I'm...I'm so sorry! It's Owen! He...” Her voice trailed away, and soft sobs seemed to be coming from the phone. “There was...an...an in-incident with a r-raptor. He...”

 

Zach's heart seized up in his chest, the room's temperature going from cold to hot...too hot. The shirt he held fell from his hand, and he stared numbly at the wall, fear spiking in his back. “Owen...” He breathed. “Is...is he okay...?”

 

He was met with only soft sobs, and a tear welled over his eyelid, tracing a path down his cheek. 

 

“He's...I'm sorry, Zach...”

 

The phone slipped from his hand, and his breathing sped up to an alarming rate, his heart racing against his mind. No. Owen. Owen was invincible. Nothing could hurt Owen. He promised him. He said working with the girls was safe. They wouldn't hurt him. He wasn't. He couldn't. Zach crumpled down, hugging his knees tightly to his chest. Owen's scent was still in the air, a mixture of forest and leather. He was still there. How could he not be there? The breathing turned into hard pants which, in turn, turned to sobs. Owen was...gone? No. There wasn't any way...but... 

 

“No...” He sobbed into his legs, the tears dripping onto shirt he wore. It used to be Owen's. He...used to be Owen's. “No!”

 

**

 

“No!”

 

“Zach! Zach! You're okay!” Hands grasped at his fighting arms, and the voice continued to call him. “Zach! It's Owen! You're fine! You're dreaming!” The hands pinned his arms to the bed, and his body bucked and twisted.

 

“No, Owen!” Tears were spilling down his cheeks, and Owen's scent weighed heavily in his nostrils. “No...” He gasped for air, and the hands continued to fight with him. Breath panted against his skin.

 

“Zachary, listen to me. You're just dreaming. It's Owen. It's me. You're okay! I'm here!” It was Owen's voice for sure. 

 

Zach realized his eyes were screwed shut, and he opened them, fighting for breath. His head rolled from side-to-side, trying to make sense of his surroundings. A bright lamp lit up the room, and he made out Owen's worried and tired face swimming in his vision. Owen. The tears only got worse, and he was unable to form any sound. “Owen,” he mouthed, his shoulders shaking.

 

“Zach?” Owen swallowed and pulled the shaking boy closer to his body, nearly crushing him in his embrace. “Zach, are you okay?”

 

“O-Owen...” was all he was able to get out at the moment. He dug his fingers into the chest in front of him, and Owen winced but kept silent, running his hands down Zach's back and through his hair. 

 

“Shhhhh....” He consoled him. “It was just a dream. You're okay...” He used the voice he used to calm the raptors.

 

Zach's quivering slowed to occasional seizes, and he nuzzled further into Owen's thick neck, breathing in the scent of his skin. “You're okay...” He repeated back to him.

 

“That's right. You're okay.” Owen pressed soft kisses against Zach's temple, trying his best to show the boy how safe he was.

 

“No. You're okay,” Zach whispered shakily. He silently began to wipe the tears away, holding back ones that were still threatening to follow. “You...are okay.”

 

Owen frowned a little, knowing dawning in his eyes. “You had a bad dream?” He rubbed Zach's back slowly, the way he liked it.

 

Zach sniffed. “You...you were...d-dead.” It hurt him to even say the words, but he knew now that Owen was very much alive. One hand was pressed over his chest just to feel the solid ka-thump of his heart. He was alive and breathing. Owen was okay.

 

“Oh, Zach.” Owen felt horrible for the kid. He'd never seen him so shaken up before, and now he was beginning to see why it had taken some prodding to get him to move in. “It was just a bad dream. I'm okay.”

 

“But...they never stop.” Zach breathed in deeply to slow his heart rate. “Every...every night. I'm sorry.” He felt embarrassed, and his ears burned red.

 

“Hey, stop that,” Owen chided gently. “It's not your fault. I don't care what kind of baggage you come with. I'm here to lighten the load a little.” He pulled back to make out Zach's damp eyes in the moonlight. “I love you more than anything, Zach. Screw nightmares.”

 

Zach wiped his eyes once more. “But I don't want to wake you up every night.” He looked down. “I feel like a five-year-old.” Even Gray had never had this many nightmares, and that kid watched documentaries about killer sharks all the time.

 

“Zachary Mitchell. Look at me.”

 

Zach refused to look up.

 

“I said, eyes...on...me.” The voice was gentle yet firm. Zach had no choice but to lift up his brown eyes to meet Owen's.

 

“We can get rid of these nightmares, okay?” He told him. “I'm never gonna leave your side, if that's what it takes.” His gaze didn't waver one bit, and Zach felt a pang of heartfelt gratitude.

 

“...Promise...?” He felt a little abashed, but it was just Owen, after all.

 

“Cross my heart. Now come on. Try to get some actual sleep. I'll be right here the whole time.” He smiled reassuringly at Zach and pressed a long, sweet kiss to his lips. “I love you.”

 

Zach managed a smile. “I love you, too.”

 

Zach took up a new sleeping position curled up on Owen's expansive chest, listening to that heart beat all night long. The solidity under him granted him some relief, and he was confident in Owen's promise to stay by his side. He wouldn't leave him. Closing his eyes, Zach found his way back to sleep. And for once...no bad dreams plagued his sleep.


	3. Long Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick and cute little idea that was submitted to bide time for a longer chapter (the one about kidnapping). Basically, Owen is a workaholic. Zach is a secret stuffed animal cuddler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really trying to finish the kidnapping fic, but it's taking longer than I thought because it's a way different plot than I'm used to, so it may be at least an extra day or two. Since this idea was submitted, I thought I'd post a chapter to fill in the gap between chapters. I'm sorry it's short, but I was trying desperately to pump something out! Please comment any feedback or suggestions!

For the past two weeks, Owen had been spending a lot of time at the raptor enclosure, doing some extensive training with his “girls”. Zach tried his best to be understanding of the situation; after all, Owen was getting pretty far in his training. He knew how important it was for him to spend as much time as possible with the raptors, but the late nights were becoming tedious. By the time Owen would finally come home, Zach would already be close to or already asleep. As cute as it was to watch the boy sleep, Owen only had about five hours to himself before he would drag himself back out of bed to get back to the paddock. Barry constantly berated him for the messy hair and bags under his eyes, but he was close. Closer than ever before to breaking new horizons. So close, in fact, that he called Zach to tell him he'd be staying at the paddock for the night.

 

He heard a sigh, followed by what sounded like, “Of course,” and he instantly felt bad about staying. “Alright then,” Zach said warily. “Maybe I'll see you next weekend. Oh, wait, you might want to check your schedule. I know you're booked with the raptors for the next twenty years.” His voice was laced heavily with sarcasm.

 

Owen frowned, more annoyed with himself than at Zach. “Look, babe, I'm so close, okay? Soon, things'll be back to normal. And then we'll go out on an actual date, okay? How does that sound?”

 

There was a slight pause before Zach answered. “...Good. Sounds good. You promise it's just for tonight?”

 

Owen hesitated. One one hand, there was the slight chance of breaking ground with the girls for the next few nights. One the other, there was a content (rather than pissy) Zach Mitchell. He nodded to nobody in particular. “I promise. And I'll be back earlier tomorrow night if things go well.”

 

“...Fine. You better.” He could tell Zach was trying to sound happier than he was, and his heart swelled with appreciation. Most people would have hauled ass by now, but Zach understood how Owen felt.

 

“I love you,” he told him sincerely.

 

“Yeah...love you, too.”

 

Owen got off the phone, but not before he heard the small sigh on the other end. He rubbed his neck and gazed through the bars of the safety pen at the four raptors staring intently at him. Blue chuffed and cocked her head, tilting it just so that one eye gazed piercingly at him, almost as if questioning his behavior.  
Owen chuckled to himself. “I know, girl. He's pissed.”  
Blue made a chirping sound and turned to go stand closer to her siblings. All the while, Owen's focus should have been on her interactions with them. Her behavior towards him. But it wasn't her behavior that was on his mind. It wouldn't even take a behaviorist to tell that Zach was peeved, and it sure as hell didn't sit well with him knowing it was his fault.  
“One night...” He told himself, stepping up the stairs to the catwalk. “Just one night.”

 

**

 

One night only lasted until about ten-thirty. The girls were following his commands to the last syllable, and he couldn't be prouder with their progress, but... He gazed around the enclosure and realized just then how lonely it really was, even with four intelligent velociraptors to keep him company. That just made him think of how alone Zach was at the moment, not even a raptor to stay with him. A frown made its way onto this face, and he sighed loud enough for one of the girls to chuff up at him. He gazed over the walkway and slowly reached up to his clicker, sounding out five rapid clicks to dismiss them. It was time he focused on what was really important.

 

The closer he got to the bungalow, the more content he was in the decision he'd made. Zach would most likely forgive him (even if it took persuading), and he might even be happy that he had given up training time just to be with him. Happy Zach was twenty times better than passive-aggressive Zach. He parked the bike in the front yard, a smirk playing on his lips as he thought of ways to bring out sexually-frustrated Zach. The lights were mostly off, he noticed once he stepped inside. Only the den's lamp was still shining, and Zach was nowhere to be seen. Dammit. That was a no to sexually-frustrated Zach. Owen removed his boots and quietly moved to the bedroom, all the while taking in the fact that this was the earliest he'd been home in two weeks. 

 

The bedroom was almost completely dark, but the shadeless window allowed the moonlight to stream in, illuminating the sleeping form of his favorite person in the world...cuddling a stuffed raptor. A smile spread on Owen's face, and he stepped further in to take in the sight. He'd given the stuffed velociraptor to Zach a few months back almost as a gag gift, not that it had cost him anything. Since Masrani was pressing for the raptor exhibit to become a tourist hotspot pretty soon, he'd had their manufacturers make out stuffed dinosaurs in the forms of each of the girls. It had been ironic. One of the most deadly dinosaur types on the island, reduced to cuddly, plush animals. He just knew that Zach wasn't the type to use stuffed animals, but it seemed like a funny idea at the time. It had remained unused (until now) on the bookshelf in the den.

 

And yet here his boyfriend was, curled up with the toy like it was his lifeline. His face was void of any worry or annoyance, and his mouth was partially open. His breaths were soft and even, and Owen resisted the urge to kiss him, scared to wake him up. He could only imagine how defensive Zach would be if he knew Owen had seen him cuddling a stuffed toy. Nevertheless, the bed looked really inviting, much more so than the couch in the raptor paddock's break room. So, he shed off the pants and button-up he wore, leaving them on the floor. He slipped underneath the free sheets that were left (there weren't many, since Zach was a notorious blanket hog), and settled back.

 

There was a slight shifting of the bed, and he felt Zach sleepily nuzzle into his shoulder, the raptor still clutched tightly under one arm. A contented whimper escaped the boy's lips, sounding very close to “Owen...” He never woke up fully, and Owen gave a contented smile while closing his own eyes. Zach's warmth heated his un-blanketed side quickly, and his soft breaths tickled his shoulder. 'This is what home should feel like,' he thought to himself sleepily as he drifted off. He doubted he'd be able to spend any more long nights at the enclosure after this.

**

 

When Owen woke up, both Zach and the stuffed Blue figure were gone. It took him a moment to remember the image of his boyfriend cuddling a plush toy, but he quickly conjured it up and smiled to himself while he rose from bed. He found Zach curled up on the couch with a bowl of cereal, and he smiled when he saw Owen walk in the room.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Hey,” Owen answered. He stepped close and pressed a soft kiss to Zach's temple.

 

Zach smiled softly and briefly switched his gaze to something behind Owen's shoulder. Then he just looked back at Owen with the same grin. 

 

Owen returned the smile and leaned back up and turned slightly, shooting a quick glance to the bookshelf and saw the raptor back where it used to be. He flicked his eyes back to Zach's, a silent understanding passing between them. No words were exchanged about the scene, but Owen would always remember the time he found Zach Mitchell cuddling a velociraptor.


	4. The Weather Outside is Frightful...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach's always hated bad weather, but Owen may have the cure for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this is kinda short and bad. I really wanted to get out a chapter tonight, and I can always make a part two if you like to make up for it! Trust me, my writing is way better on the weekend.

Ever since he was a small child, Zach Mitchell had hated stormy weather. He'd spent many a night curled up at the foot of his parents' bed, and he'd even found excuses to have brotherly sleepovers in Gray's room. As he'd matured into teenagehood, he learned to hide his fear by holing up in his room with headphones blaring at max volume to mask the crashing thunder and howling wind, eyes squeezed shut to avoid having to see the lightning. Rain didn't bother him one bit, but anything past a heavy drizzle made his heart beat out of his chest. He'd learned to hide his fear pretty well when he could be alone, but nothing prepared him for the hurricane that was set to hit Isla Nublar.

 

Owen, of course, had no idea how much storms bothered Zach, so he didn't think twice when telling him of the upcoming hurricane heading towards them. He'd come in the door one evening with a large case of bottled water and plenty of canned foods, smiling a greeting at his boyfriend that had just finished up the laundry (They had an arrangement: Zach did the laundry, and Owen did the dishes). He set the items on the counter effortlessly, and Zach peered over the couch. “What's all that for?”

 

Owen turned and began walking to the den. “I guess you didn't hear then. We're supposed to get a hurricane in a couple days.” He reached Zach and leaned down to plant a greeting kiss atop his head, not realizing yet how still he'd become. “Thought we might as well stock up in case the roads get washed out.”

 

“Oh,” was all Zach could muster. Isla Nublar had seemed to be out of the way of bad weather in general. It rarely rained, and when it did, it wasn't for very long. But hurricanes...? He'd never actually experienced one, but he'd seen images of what Hurricane Katrina had done to cities like Biloxi and New Orleans. Whole houses had been uprooted from their foundations and tossed about in the wind. The waves had flooded up to the second stories of people's houses. He wasn't even technically living in a house! He felt his palms begin to sweat, and he swallowed hard, trying to calm himself down before Owen noticed. Apparently it worked, because Owen went on to ask about dinner plans, and Zach sighed in relief. At least he could pretend well enough around him.

 

Unfortunately, the pretending could only last another two days.

 

It was early on Thursday morning when a booming crash of thunder woke Zach up. His eyes opened immediately, and he sat bolt upright in the bed, sheets falling at his waist. Rain was pounding on the roof, and wind moaned eerily outside the window. He felt himself break out in a cold sweat. To his side, Owen shifted a little and relaxed back into the pillow with a long, exhaled breath. Zach looked away from his boyfriend's sleeping face and warily eased out of bed, tentatively approaching the window. Grasping the shade, he pulled it aside and peered out into the yard. The lake water rippled and splashed with the force of raindrops, and the palm trees lining it were bowed over under the assailing wind. Granted, it was no New Orleans, but it still made it hard for Zach to swallow. Deciding it best to stay in bed, he began to pad across the floor. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed outside the window, and thunder slammed into his ear drums, making the walls of the house shake. Zach jumped with a tiny yelp (though he would never admit it) and darted into the bed, making it under the covers in record time. He pressed against Owen's body, fitting himself perhaps a little too forcefully into his side. Owen mumbled something along with Zach's name and fit his arms around him, smacking his lips in his sleep. 

 

Zach was still shaking from the thunder, and he couldn't help but think about how high the water might get. What if it flooded the house? He remembered the first park. How the dinosaurs escaped. Killed people. What if the raptors got out? What if...somehow the other carnivores got out? How safe would he be? How safe would Owen be? He felt more scared now than he had with the thunderstorms back home. One of the arms around him tightened, and he turned to nuzzle up into Owen's thick neck, hiding from the storm. A slight snore escaped Owen's lips, and Zach felt a moment of safety in his embrace. That is, until another crash of thunder sent him further into Owen's arms. If Owen had been awake, he would have heard the uncharacteristic whimper that came from his lover's throat. Luckily, he remained asleep. Honestly, Owen could sleep through twelve fighter planes battling over the bungalow without so much as a hitch in his snoring.

 

For at least another hour, the wind howled and the rain pounded. The lightning flashed and the thunder crashed. Owen snored and Zach...well...he made a variety of noises, ranging from guinea pig to small child. He knew he didn't want Owen to know he was scared of storms, but there was part of him that longed for a caring touch. He was too old for his mother to hold his hand, but he was definitely old enough for Owen to. He thought that maybe it would help if Owen was at least awake, so he made it his purpose to rouse the raptor trainer.

 

He started by tossing and turning, a habit Owen constantly complained about. Then he tried coughing. Owen remained steadily asleep, so he went to the last resort, slipping his hand down under the sheets and under the hem of Owen's boxer-briefs. The man's eyes instantly opened, focusing on Zach's face with surprising clarity for someone who just woke up. “Well good morning then...” He began to grin. He hooked a leg over Zach's and rolled until he was on top. “Having a good morning then?” He smirked playfully, casting his eyes towards the window. “Storm's coming down pretty hard, huh?”

 

Zach gulped and just focused on Owen's gaze. Owen was here. He was tangible. He stroked the rough stubble and feigned a smile. “Yeah.”

 

Owen's eyes felt too piercing, and he dropped his gaze just a little. That was enough for Owen to look worried. “Zach? You okay?”

 

“What? Yeah, I'm-”

 

The biggest crash of thunder yet hit the skies, and Zach jumped, startled at the interruption. His hands immediately went straight to Owen's chest, and his head shot towards the window, breathing heavily. 

 

“Whoa, whoa! Calm down. Zach, it's okay,” Owen soothed him in a soft tone. “You're okay. It's just thunder.”

 

Zach blushed and slowly retracted his hands. “It...it just surprised me, that's all.” He didn't even convince himself that it was true.

 

Owen brought a hand to his cheek and forced him to looked up. “Don't like storms?” He wasn't trying to tease him, at least.

 

Zach tried not to look down, but his quivering body still showed his nervousness. “I...no.” He shook his head, embarrassed to be caught having such a childish phobia. Gray should be the one freaking out about storms, but no. He would actually be telling everybody about the formation of the clouds and how jet streams pushed fronts across the country and crap. Zach had to be the scared one. The baby.

 

“I'm here.”

 

Zach's attention went back to Owen. “What?”

 

“I'm here,” Owen answered simply. He gave a reassuring smile and thumbed Zach's cheek. “And if storms freak you out, then I'll make sure never to go anywhere if it rains.”

 

“They don't freak me out,” Zach mumbled. “I just don't like them.”

 

Thunder boomed again, more quietly this time. Zach still winced, and Owen nodded. “You don't always have to be the brave one, you know?” He gave a knowing look, and Zach managed to look down. “You can let your guard down.”

 

Zach frowned. How did Owen manage to make him feel like a little kid but also strangely good at the same time? Why couldn't he just drop the subject and distract him with sex or something? That usually tended to work in situations like this, except there was never actually a demonic hellstorm brewing outside. “Owen...” He trailed off, unsure.

 

“Just tell me what you want, okay?” Owen waited patiently.

 

Zach sighed and met his green-eyed gaze. “I...I just want you to promise me...that you won't go anywhere.” He bit his lower lip softly. 

 

Owen smiled gently and kissed the tip of Zach's nose. “We're a team, remember? Why would I go anywhere?” He raised himself up just a tad more. “Now come on. Where's that killer Zach Mitchell smile?”

 

Zach gave a tentative smile at Owen, more so for Owen than for him. 

 

“I meant the other one.”

 

Zach rolled his eyes and faked the best smile he could, making Owen laugh a little. “There we go. Sarcastic as hell, and I love it.” He looked at the window, hearing the storm pick up suddenly. “You know, this may not be so bad after all. I can't go to work, and the roads will probably be too washed out to drive on, so we've got a few days to ourselves at least.” He tilted his head at Zach. “That doesn't sound too bad, does it?”

 

As terrible as bad weather was, Zach had to admit that maybe being holed up in a tiny bungalow with Owen Grady wasn't the worst thing that had ever happened to him. A soft smile graced his lips (a real one this time). “I guess not.”

 

The wind howled harder than ever, and the walls creaked threateningly. Zach felt the hint of a whimper escape his lips when he got distracted, but Owen immediately rolled off and tugged up far up into his arms. “It's all okay, Zach. Just some wind. Did I ever tell you about the time my naval ship ran into some weather like this?”

 

Zach shook his head, eyes still glued to the window. 

 

“Well, it was about nine years ago.” Owen ignored Zach's behavior and set about telling his tale of the time his ship ran into a tropical depression. Gradually, Zach began to relax to the sound of his voice. More and more, he forgot about how loud the weather was. Owen's voice was his rock in the storm, and he held on tightly. Every time his attention would begin to shift back to the weather, Owen would pause in his story to nuzzle into his neck, and he felt like every inch of him was covered somehow. Protected. 

 

Gradually, the storm became background noise, and he was good enough to leave the bed. Owen refused to let him go anywhere alone, naturally, and he had to fight to go to the bathroom. 

 

“I made a promise, Zach,” Owen poked at him.

 

“Yeah, but your promise should still let me go pee by myself.” He jabbed back at Owen.

 

After that it was just a full day of cuddling around the house. The den happened to be the quietest place, so they camped out in there, Owen forming a protective barrier that kept Zach pinned against the side of the couch, holding him just because he 'promised'. Owen also put on some loud music to block out the rain, and it actually worked. Zach felt loads better than he had previously. And...the storm really wasn't so bad with someone to ride it out with. That, he realized, was the problem the entire time. All the time he'd been scared of storms, he'd been alone, shut out from everyone else. Now, however, there was someone there to get him through it. Yeah, maybe it was dumb of him to still get scared so bad, but Owen didn't make fun of him once. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the opportunity for skin-on-skin contact. And, they even found time for some other 'activities'. Usually, Owen had to wait until the weekend if he wanted to take his time, but they had all the time in the world. 

 

Owen was right about the roads getting washed out. They got a call from headquarters checking up on them, and they were informed that the roads would remain flooded for several days if the storm continued the way they predicted. Owen had looked at Zach and wiggled his eyebrows playfully, prompting him to laugh. 

 

“Still don't like bad weather?” He asked him, lacing his fingers through the smaller ones of his boyfriend.

 

Zach bit his cheek and thought for a moment. “Just make sure you're with me if there happens to be any.”

 

Owen just chuckled and tugged him in to press a long kiss on his lips. “Always.”


	5. When the Weather Outside is Frightful (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Same summary. Different POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that the majority of the story would be better left up to the imagination, but I thought I'd experiment with doing a just-Owen POV. It's actually kind of difficult to write his viewpoints, because most of the time he's just like *smirk, smirk, smirk, joke, smirk, smirk, smirk, flirt, smirk, flirt, etc.*. Anyways, the next chapter will be the kidnapping chapter. And if you're reading this, thanks for sticking with my story! P.S., I added a few things to his chapter than didn't happen in the previous one because I needed to make it longer, and also, I had to get a joke out.

Owen studied Zach carefully, even after he'd protested against needing someone with him every time he left the room. All this time, and he'd never realized just how frightened Zach could become in the instance of bad weather. Every bolt of lightning sparked new fear in the boy's normally content eyes, and Owen had to resist the urge to keep him wrapped up in his arms. Some primal instinct in him made him want to keep Zach from feeling any fear. The 'Alpha's' protective instinct, he supposed. To protect his mate from harm. 

 

“Hey, Zach?” He asked, thinking of distractions. 

 

“Yeah?” The voice was tiny.

 

“What do you call two nuns and a cheerleader?” When in doubt, dirty jokes about. Or something like that.

 

Zach barely shrugged. “What...?

 

“Two tight ends and a wide receiver.”

 

Zach normally would have laughed at the corny joke, but he was out of his element at the moment. Owen wasn't even sure how to approach the situation now. He knew that Zach didn't necessarily want to confess that he was scared, but he read enough into the few words he did mutter to understand that he was terrified. As they lay there in bed, Zach quivering, Owen felt a pang in his chest. As good as it was that Zach actually wanted to let his guard down a little, he hated seeing the fear in his eyes. He remembered his time in the navy, where the ship would come across pockets of bad weather out at see. He remembered the enormous waves and flashes of lightning. The rain that would make the deck slicker than an ice rink. And so he talked. He told Zach about just how bad it had gotten, and (of course this wasn't true...) how scared he'd been. He talked about how every storm had ended with bright skies and calm seas. 

 

As he spoke, he felt Zach begin to relax, muscle by muscle, into his arms. His weight sank down upon his chest, and the tremoring subsided substantially. A smaller peal of thunder cracked loudly in the sky, but this time there was no jumping motion. Only a smaller little wince to which Owen replied by tightening his arms. Usually Zach would complain that it was too hot or that he was 'crushing him', but this time...he seemed to burrow deeper. Owen smiled softly and nuzzled into the younger boy's neck, pressing a trail of feather-light kisses over his collar-bone and up to his cheek, drawing his attention away from the weather once more. “I like having you to myself,” he mumbled against Zach's cheek.

 

There was finally a tugging of lips, and Zach looked over into his eyes. Owen loved Zach's eyes. Melty brown, and not muddy at all. Like chocolate with the crystal-clearness of ice. It always managed to make his breath a little shallow. Realizing he was still staring, he smiled back. “You have to admit, it is a perk.” 

 

He watched Zach's eyes briefly flicker down his torso before snapping back to his own, slowly nodding. “You're...right.” His head moved forward a little, and he hesitated, seeming unsure. Owen felt that same pang again. Zach would always make a tiny move to kiss him, but it always ended with Owen having to make the move himself. It was as if Zach didn't think it was okay to do it without asking. As if Owen would never want to kiss him! Before Zach could bother turning red, Owen leaned forward, pressing a large, warm palm over Zach's cheek. He watched the kid's lips part to breath heavily, and a smile crossed his face at the yearning he saw. “Zach Mitchell,” he stated simply. Nothing more. That was all he needed to say.

 

Zach bit back a smile. “Owen Grady.”

 

“Mm. I love it when you say my name.”

 

“Don't be cliché,” Zach joked light-heartedly. 

 

Owen just chuckled and kissed him warmly, running his tongue lightly over Zach's teeth. He felt the shudder, and he was glad it wasn't from the weather. He did, however, almost smile at the routine leg curl that was made. It happened every time he kissed Zach. The boy's legs would instantly curl at the knees, like a horizontal version of the typical 'leg in the air' kiss. After a long, drawn-out moment, Owen pulled back. “But what if I like cliché?”

 

Zach (still recovering from the kiss) took a moment to smile. “Well...then you're gonna have to live up to cliché couple things, because I really don't want to get out of bed for a while.”

 

Owen smirked playfully and walked his fingers down Zach's thigh. “You know, you could just ask me to cuddle, baby.” He loved teasing his boyfriend. He would always begin to turn red just around the ears and on the neck, showing out against the pale skin (which somehow refused to tan, even on the island!). Owen's attention remained on the slender neck before him, thinking about how easy it would be to leave his bite marks on it. The everyone would know he belonged to someone. No one else could have him. 

 

“Just shut up and lay there,” Zach's voice brought him back to the present, and he turned the smirk into a softer smile. 

 

“Cuddling it is.” He brought one arm under Zach's head to provide a headrest on his shoulder, and he other he slipped down to lightly trace circles on his thigh. His head, he lay down on the pillow to breath softly into Zach's ear, watching as it twitched almost like a cat's. “But don't hesitate to tell me if you want more...” He added with a purr. He slipped the hand on Zach's thigh down to cup his ass lightly.

 

Right on cue, Zach began to turn pink, and he opened his mouth. “I...” He shook his head and settled back down. “Actually, you can leave it there.”

 

That actually made Owen laugh out loud for a brief moment, and he kissed Zach's neck lovingly. “I love you, Zach.”

 

There was a small grin hidden from him, and Zach played with the fingers on the hand attached to his 'pillow'. “I love you, too.” 

 

The rain still fell heavily on the bungalow, and Zach turned to press against Owen, not out of fear this time, but to get more comfortable it seemed. His lips brushed against the skin of Owen's chest, and though it would embarrass Zach, he swore he heard him hum a little in contentment. After a few minutes, he lost feeling in his left arm, and he was just about to ask Zach to change positions, but then his boyfriend suddenly looked up, connecting their gazes. His lips parted, and his eyes wavered a little before he spoke. “Thank you, Owen.”

 

The raptor trainer felt his heart swell with emotions for his lover, and he could have lost his arm completely in that moment without a care. He was fixated by those warm, brown eyes, noting just how much appreciation lay embedded in them. Zach really seemed thankful to him, and he wanted nothing more than to gather him up into his arms and never let go. “Always,” he answered with a doting look on his face. He pressed another kiss to Zach's forehead. “Always.”

 

The lapsed into peaceful silence until Owen smiled. “So did you hear the one about the blonde and the linebacker?”

 

“Oh my god.”


	6. Poached

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach is the unfortunate witness to illegal poaching on Isla Nublar, and it's up to Owen to rescue the one person he loves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I feel like this is a terrible attempt at writing badass Owen, and I was unable to keep this serious at all in my mind, so this will seem more like an overdramatic 'Owen-to-the-rescue' think while cheesy and cliche action music plays in the background. Basically, I suck at things non-fluff, but here's my attempt! Sorry if I disappoint, but hey, I tried!

Zach jammed his hands in his pockets and walked along the path from the raptor paddock to Owen's bungalow. Usually he just had Owen take him back, but his boyfriend was busy running some tests with the girls. Deciding it wasn't that far a walk, he'd slipped on his headphones and began the trek home. It was unusually comfortable weather that day. Low humidity, moderate cloud coverage, and warm sunlight. Other than the slight layer of mud on the ground from the night's rain, everything was perfect.

 

A smile began to cross his face as he remembered Owen's promise for the night. It had been a while since they'd gone out on a typical 'date night', and Owen had sworn that it would make up for all the late nights at the raptor paddock. Lately he'd been making drastic advancements with his four raptors, and it was normal for him to come in around nine or ten at night, only to leave again at 8 AM sharp the next morning. Zach really wasn't the wine-and-dine type, but if Owen was going to offer to set aside some extra time for him, so be it. Movement caught his eye, and he observed as one of the islands more colorful birds flitted across the path from one tree to the next. He continued to watch as it perched on a branch and ruffled its feathers. 

 

It suddenly turned its head sharply to the left, and a piercing “Bang!” split the air, cutting through the music from Zach's headphones. Without warning, the bird crumpled and plummeted to the ground, landing among the ferns lining the road. Zach froze in his tracks and whirled around, expecting to see someone behind him. Someone had fucking shot ten feet from his head! He slipped the headphones around his neck and listened as the sound of an approaching vehicle headed his way. It was a dark jeep, climbing around the bend in the road behind him. Shit. Shit. Shit.

 

He turned and began speed-walking away, hoping there would be no questions. Instead, the tires approached closer, and the vehicle slowed to a stop in front of him, the passenger door opening. A booted foot stepped out, and from the vehicle emerged a young man that appeared to be just under Owen's age. His eyes were cold, his jaw was set, and in his hands he held a rifle...aimed at Zach.

 

“Wh-What are you doing?” Zach stammered, making a bad attempt at feigning like he knew nothing.

 

The man held the rifle up to his shoulder threateningly. “We already saw you, kid. Get in.”

 

“B-”

 

“-Get the fuck in before I decide to kill you.” He cocked the gun, and Zach jumped, his headphones sliding off his neck and onto the dirt of the path.

 

What in the actual fuck was happening? All he was doing was minding his own business, and this guy had to kill a stupid bird! What was such a big deal about that? Shaking, he slowly moved to the vehicle with his hands up, only reaching down to open the door. Upon climbing inside, he saw the driver of the jeep. Another man, perhaps a bit older, with an equally dark look in his eyes. One that didn't match the smile on his face.

 

“So...you caught us poaching, huh?” His eyes raked down Zach's body, and he shivered a bit harder. There would be no pleading with these two. He was going to have to play it safe if he wanted to escape. “Gimme your phone.”

 

Zach shakily reached into his pocket and withdrew the phone, handing it over.

 

“Why...why are you doing this?” He asked quietly. “I can keep a secret...I don't care about the birds.” He swallowed the lump in his throat and clenched his hands into fists.

 

“Insurance, kid. I ain't taking any risks.” He tilted his head. “Though I might wanna keep you around for a while.”

 

Zach shuddered and sank low in the seat as the passenger of the jeep returned with something in a thick bag. He tossed it in the floorboard and slammed the door. “What do we do about the kid?” He asked gruffly.

 

“Relax, Tate. We'll just drop him off back in the mainland and be gone before anyone can find us.” He turned and studied Zach. “After a little bit of fun, of course.”

 

Zach shut his eyes and let out a shaky breath. Okay. He was stuck in a van with two poachers (one being a creepy pervert). For all he knew, they were just gonna kill him and dump his body somewhere, regardless of the 'mainland' bullshit. He had to think of a way to get out. He needed to get back to Owen.

 

Owen.

 

His eyes began to water as he thought about his boyfriend. He was back at the raptor paddock, oblivious that he'd been taken hostage by two psychos. It was so frustrating! The paddock was so close, but he had no way of contacting Owen. What if he never saw him again? The lump in his throat reappeared, only this time he couldn't get rid of it. Everything was supposed to be perfect. Perfect boyfriend. Perfect home. Perfect life. But...he might never know perfect again. Fearing that he was on the brink of losing it, he pictured Owen's soothing gaze. Bright, green, mesmerizing eyes that could stop any sort of rant he was on with a simple stare. He knew that even if he couldn't escape...Owen would find him.

 

**

 

Owen whistled happily to himself as he climbed smoothly onto his motorcycle, content with the day's work and the knowledge that he would have some alone time with Zach. Frankly, the younger boy had seemed a little distant lately, and he felt it was his fault for having been working nonstop at the enclosure. He hoped that what he had planned would make up for it all. 

 

Step 1: Take Zach to one of the nicer restaurants in town.

 

Step 2: Fake that the restaurant lost their reservation and suggest cooking dinner at home.

 

Step 3: Surprise Zach with prepared (and most certainly cheesy) lamplight dinner on the pier behind the bungalow (complete with lots of booze, of course). And by prepared dinner, he meant arranged takeout from an equally good restaurant courtesy of a friend of his.

 

Step 4: Crazy, awesome, outstanding, delirious, and perfect sex. AKA- dessert.

 

He kicked the bike into gear and set off on the way home, the wind tousling his hair in the way he liked. People sometimes wondered why he used his own motorcycle rather than a company-issued jeep or car. It was the freedom of riding it. Nothing was stopping him from experiencing nature, and it didn't bother him that nature sometimes liked to throw random rain showers on him. As he passed a bend in the path, he saw something ahead in the road. Deciding to move it out of the way in case of other vehicles, he parked his bike and climbed off, approaching the fallen object. As he came upon it, he paused. What the hell...?

 

Zach's headphones. He picked them carefully to avoid the mud attached and confirmed the assumption after noticing the small scratch in the side of one ear cuff (Zach had given him absolute hell for that). His eyes darted around, just in case something else was laying around, but nothing was there. And then...

 

Shit.

 

Shit.

 

Shit.

 

How had he not noticed this before? His hands trembled a little when he studied the pair of Zach-sized footprints leading to the set of tire tracks on the road. They disappeared after that. If someone else were there, they would attempt to reconcile. They would claim he'd simply hitched a ride with someone. He clenched his jaw tightly, and his vision blurred for a moment. That wasn't true. How could he possibly know that? Zach Mitchell would NEVER leave his headphones behind. They were a part of him just as much as the raptors were part of Owen. Deciding it was better to be sure first, he pulled out his phone and frantically dialed Zach's number. No answer. He tried again. No answer.

 

'No,' was his only thought. No one took Zach away from him. Whoever did was going to pay the price. He felt his fists clench tighter, and he stomped to his bike. Whoever was on the island didn't have long before he found them. Like it or not, they'd just set a hunter on the warpath. He kicked off his bike and began to follow the tracks down the road, eyes focused on the hunt.

 

**

 

“I don't get why we can't just get the hell out of here tonight. We got what we came for.”

 

“You know damned well as I do they've got security swarming around the island right now. Gotta wait 'till tomorrow while they're all at that benefit to get out. We're lucky we made it in as it is.”

 

“The longer we stay here the more dangerous it is, Reese.”

 

“Don't fucking tell me how to do my job!”

 

Zach winced from his seat on the ground in front of the tent the two poachers had set up in the jungle of Isla Nublar. His kidnappers' bickering was beginning to give him a headache. As scary as it had been to be kidnapped at gunpoint, he was beginning to find the whole ordeal annoying. They were worse than his parents at the climax of their divorce. The good news was that Creepy McPervert was too busy arguing to make any advancements on him as insinuated before. It was growing dark, and he thought about Owen. What was he doing? Was he searching for him? How many times had he called his phone? Over the past few hours, he'd convinced himself that they were not going to kill him. They were just poachers, after all. Not murderers. Still, if that creep laid one hand on him...

 

“Just go find us some fucking firewood, Tate. We ran out last night.”

 

The other man glared daggers at his partner before standing quickly. “If it means five minutes away from you, it's worth it.” He slunk off, muttering under his breath about how he couldn't wait to get paid. 

 

Zach stayed perfectly still, eyes wary of the remaining abductor. His hand closed around a large, jagged rock he'd picked up in his pocket, ready to use it if necessary.

 

'Reese' stopped leaning on the hood of the jeep and crossed his arms, hand firmly attached to his handgun. His eyes met Zach's for a split second before making their way down his body, greedy as a pig. His face split into a cynical grin. “It looks like it's just you and me now, pretty boy.”

 

Zach gulped and clenched the rock tighter, drawing tiny droplets of blood from his palm. So far, Owen Grady was the only one to have taken him, and he was damn determined to keep it that way.

 

**

 

Owen moved swiftly through the underbrush, eyes glancing about and studying the various prints. His rifle was slung over his back, and his knife was sheathed at the small of his back. As he moved, he barely made any noise. To any other person, they would only hear the babbling of streams and the calls of birds. Owen was a predator in the evening wood. He passed smoothly through trees and ferns, following next to a secluded path without getting directly on it. He'd never seen this part of the island, and he supposed it must have been part of the old park. 

 

As he neared a fork in the road, he heard movement, followed by the sound of a man cursing. He gripped his gun firmly and ducked behind a tree, ready to strike. The muttering grew closer. 

 

“-thinks he's the brains of this when everyone back on the mainland knows I'm the one in charge. Fucking prick. Probably screwing the damn kid back at camp right now.” Owen felt the blood roaring in his ears, and he drew in a shaky but silent breath. Anger boiled inside him. Not even anger. Pure rage. If anyone laid a hand on Zach...his Zach...he...would kill them.

 

The rustling got closer even, and a body passed by the tree. Immediately, Owen lunged out and hooked his arm around the stranger's throat, using his leg to bring the man to his knees. The wood he was carrying spilled from his arms, and he let out a short, strangled cry of fear. Owen could feel the man's pulse under his arm, and he wanted nothing more than to crush it out of him. To squeeze every bit of life from his body. Using his free hand, Owen grasped his knife and held it to the man's throat, pressing hard enough to draw blood. He leaned in close and growled fiercely in his ear, “Where. Is. He?” The voice was not that of Owen's, but instead one of pure hatred. Rage boiled in it, and it caused the man to let out a surprised squeak.

 

“Wh-who?” He choked out.

 

Owen ground his foot into the man's leg, jerking him back roughly. “Where the fuck is Zach?”

 

“Th-the kid? He...he's at the camp. That way.” He tried to point. “Don't hurt me!” Fear radiated from his eyes.

 

Owen fought against his instincts to kill him and jerked him to his feet, pointing his rifle at his back. “Take me to the camp before I sever your spinal cord,” he told him coldly. “Now.”

 

The man nodded shakily. “O-okay.” He began to walk with Owen's barrel pressing firmly into his back. He led them to the right fork in the road and down the path some more, following the jeep tracks. The whole way, Owen was plotting ways to kill the both of them. Whoever they were. Should he shoot them in the head or in the gut? Should he slit their throats or stab them in the heart? His vision was a haze of red. Why would they even take Zach anyway? He would find out before killing them.

 

The man slowed down suddenly and pointed to a clearing up ahead. Owen could make out the shape of a black jeep but nothing else. Zach was there somewhere. He couldn't just run in with only one gun aimed at one guy, so he carefully reached down and plucked up a large rock, bigger than his hand in fact. “You're lucky you won't have to see this,” he murmured before slamming it into the back of the man's head.

 

His eyes rolled up, and he collapsed to the ground. Owen dropped the rock softly and steadied his gun, moving closer. The clearing came closer into view, and he saw the back of a man. Voices came through the trees, and he listened.

 

“Get the fuck away from me!”

 

“What's the matter? Already got someone back home? Maybe it's my turn.”

 

“Don't touch me!”

 

There was a sudden pop of palm against flesh, and Owen heard a whimper. Zach's whimper. Someone had hit him. His vision grew an even darker shade of red, and he burst out through the clearing, aiming his gun at the first body part he saw. The man's leg. He squeezed the trigger, and the bang of the gun rang out into the evening air, sending birds flapping away in fear. There was a loud cry of pain, and the body dropped like a stone onto the grass, still screaming.

 

Owen finally saw Zach cowering in front of a tent, a scarlet mark the size of a hand already starting to show on the left side of his face. The boy tore his eyes from the man writhing on the ground and saw Owen standing on the tree line. He gasped, and those melty brown eyes of his began to water from relief. 

 

Owen nearly fell to his knees in his own relief of having found Zach before something bad could happen to him. Keeping his gun aimed at the collapsed kidnapper, he jogged over and yanked his boyfriend tightly against his large body, wrapping as much of himself as he could around him while trying to keep his gun up. He felt Zach melt against him, and he only crushed his body against his even tighter.

 

“You found me,” Zach mumbled into his chest.

 

“I'll always find you.” He was the Alpha. Of course he would.

 

Zach gathered fistfuls of Owen's shirt and gazed up at him with watery eyes. “Thank you for shooting that asshole.”

 

Owen suddenly glared at the fallen man and released Zach to steady his gun, stepping up to place a foot on the man's chest.

 

“You fucking shot me!” He groaned out.

 

“You kidnapped and hurt the only person I've ever loved. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you now.” He aimed the barrel downward.

 

Zach froze and watched the interaction, unsure of what to do.

 

“We're just poachers, man! We weren't gonna hurt the kid!”

 

“Oh, so you were just gonna have your way with him? Is that right?” The barrel moved to the man's groin. “What's to stop me from making sure that never happens again?”

 

“Oh, God! Please, no!” The man's eyes were fearful, but he couldn't move from the weight being pressed down on him.

 

“Owen, wait.” Zach's voice was soft, but still determined.

 

Owen reluctantly aimed the gun away, and his boyfriend stepped up. “They're just poachers. Not worth shooting.” His eyes glared downward, and he wound up his leg before kicking the man with all his might in the crotch. There was an enormous and high-pitched squeal of pain, and Reese bucked under Owen's leg, yelling unintelligible nonsense.

 

Owen felt a proud smirk cross his lips, and he wrapped an arm around Zach's waist, pressing a kiss to his head. “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.” But the teenager's eyes never left the man on the ground. “But I think I only got one. You should get the other.”

 

“Gladly.” The foot was removed from Reese's chest before being planted somewhere else entirely. If Zach didn't want him to shoot the men, he could at least cause some serious damage. 

 

It wasn't ten minutes before Owen had both men secured with rope from the tent stakes, and Zach almost smiled at the Wild West style capture. Owen called the head of security, and soon there was a squadron of guards there to officially arrest the two culprits, no questions even raised about the bullet wound in one leg and the concussion on the other's head. After seeing the look in Owen's eyes, they thought it better to leave things marked down to 'self-defense'. 

 

Owen and Zach hitched a ride back to the main road before leaving to stand beside the motorcycle. Owen's hand never left Zach's and each of them felt it was better that way. No one could separate them if they were together. Before they climbed on, Owen smiled. “I have something for you.” He reached underneath the seat of the bike and retrieved a scuffed up pair of headphones, handing them to Zach. “I believe you left these.”

 

Zach laughed a little and accepted the gift. “I thought you would find those.”

 

“They were the reason I found you.” He looked hard at Zach. “From now on, you're never going anywhere alone. All rides are on me.”

 

Seven hours ago, Zach would have protested, saying he was old enough to be alone. But the fear of never seeing Owen again had sparked something in him that forced him to be complient. “I think I'll be okay with that.” He slipped the headphones around his neck and then looped his arms around Owen's neck, staring up into his eyes. “I love you so much.” The words were soft, but Owen felt the wind get taken out of him.

 

He'd come so close to losing Zach today, even if he was told they were just idiot poachers. They still took Zach away, and he was sure that that would never happen again as long as he was around. Zach was his and his only, and nothing could change that. He fitted his hands on Zach's waist and rested his forehead against his. “I love you, too.” He finally gave Zach the kiss he'd been meaning to ever since the 'rescue'. The 'I'm the hero and just saved you so kiss me' kiss. It was a first for both of them, and as good as it was, he hoped he never had to use it again.

 

“Too bad about reservations,” Zach joked as soon as they broke apart, hands still enveloped completely in Owen's.

 

Owen remembered the deal he'd had with his friend to leave the takeout in the kitchen at home, and a smile crossed his lips. “I've still got a few ideas in mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos if you also would like to kick Reese in his stupid balls.


	7. A Day Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Owen's day off, and he's decided to take Zach on a little adventure around the park. Unfortunately, Zach had other plans for the day. Perhaps...they could come to an agreement?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this as I'm falling asleep, so please excuse any bad writing mistakes... Also, does anyone know where I can get a full length body pillow in the shape of Chris Pratt? Or at least a regular sized one with him on it? I need some Chris right now xD Oh good lord I'm so tired

“I can't believe you're getting me to do this...” 

 

“Come on! Don't make that face. It'll be fun! I know you've never even seen the exhibits really.”

 

Zach sighed. “Honestly, you're worse than Gray.”

 

Owen grinned brightly and reached over to ruffle Zach's hair playfully. “Like I said. It'll be fun.” He retracted his hand and watched, amused, as the younger boy ran his fingers through it, trying to seem more annoyed than he was.

 

“When you said you were taking a personal day, I thought you meant we were staying at home.” He looked at Owen meaningfully. “All alone...” He eyed the gathering hordes of tourists. Loud, loud tourists. It surprised him that Owen would rather spend his day off touring the park with him rather than touring the bungalow with him.

 

Owen just smirked and nudged at the pouting teenager. “Oh, we're definitely spending a good bit of time by ourselves. But you needed to get out more. Besides...” He jabbed at Zach's side. “You might learn something.”

 

Zach scowled and leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. However, Owen wasn't having any of it. He reached over and pried his arms apart, dancing his fingers down his wrist to intertwine his fingers through his. Zach couldn't keep the moody look on his face any longer with the way Owen's thumb kept running over his palm. 

 

“Funny,” Owen commented.

 

Zach looked over and opened his mouth to respond, but the announcer's voice cut through the air, directing everyone's attention to the tank. He closed his mouth and slowly turned away from the smirk on Owen's face, his teeth clamped tightly on his tongue. Damn Owen. He had a way of making him feel both annoyed and content at the same time. Pretty soon he was gonna have some really mixed up ideas of how emotions should work.

 

To be fair, the show wasn't that bad. Most of it consisted of the mosa doing casual waves from the water or the announcer explaining the biology of the creature. It helped that they were both seated a little ways from anyone else, so Zach didn't have to listen to the jabbering of tiny children the whole time. However, if Owen thought he would learn something, he was mistaken. Only someone like Gray could possibly remember all of the facts spilling from the announcer's mouth. It reminded him of the way Owen talked about the raptors. All sorts of random facts would just come tumbling out, and Zach struggled to keep up a conversation when it was on that topic. 

 

“Let's see if she'll eat!”

 

Zach looked up at the announcer's voice to watch a shark being pulled out over the tank, high in the air. It looked to be at least ten feet long by itself, so he could only imagine the mouth of the dinosaur swimming in the tank. A quick glance to Owen proved to show how invested he was in his work on dinosaurs, even if the creature wasn't a raptor. His green eyes were laser-sharp, focused on the meal being dangled above the water.

 

Suddenly, the water erupted in a geyser-like manner while the largest creature Zach had ever seen shot straight up into the air, mouth parted in an incredible roar that ceased as it clamped down on the shark. Securing its prey, it dropped back down heavily into the tank, and Zach saw the beginning of the shower soon to come.

 

“Aw, damn!” He whined, retracting his hand from Owen's to try and cover himself.

 

The water sprayed out of the tank and began to fall. Owen, having seen Zach's reaction, immediately stood and stepped to the side. Quick as a flash, he leaned down and covered Zach's body when the water hit, splashing loudly against the screaming tourists. Only a few drops hit Zach's forehead, and he opened his squeezed-shut eyes to find Owen grinning cheekily down at him, hair sopping wet. 

 

“Oh,” was all he could muster, and Owen's eyes crinkled in amusement before he pressed a chaste kiss to Zach's slightly-parted lips. Then he plopped down in his wet seat and clapped along with the crowd as if nothing had happened. A soft smile crept across Zach's face, and he began to turn pink around the ears (he really needed to work on that blushing problem).

 

“As good as it would be to see you soaked in water,” Owen told him softly underneath the announcer lady's ramblings, “I thought maybe I'd let YOU enjoy the view this time.” He turned his head and gave a sly wink.

 

Zach couldn't help but scan Owen's body. Unfortunately, the water had only gotten his back, but his hair was beginning to drip on his shirt. And if his shorts were tight enough...

 

“Thank you all for coming out today. We hope to see you soon, and we hope you enjoy the park.” The goodbye was followed by applause and then the chatter of excited families on their way to the next attraction.

 

Owen stood and stretched, and Zach changed his mind about the whole water thing. Owen's back side of the shirt was saturated completely, and it clung to his heavily-defined back muscles. Damn, those shoulder blades were fine. “Thanks,” he murmured. He wasn't sure if Owen had heard him at first, but the older man turned and looked down.

 

“Sure thing. I wouldn't want a wet Zach trudging around with me all day like a grumpy, wet cat.” He smiled to himself, seeming pleased with the comparison.

 

“Oh, that's not what I was thanking you for, exactly.” It was Zach's turn to wink, and he stood, looking down to check and see how Owen's ass was faring at the moment. “Dammit, Owen. Board shorts?”

 

“It's Central America! It's hot!”

 

And it would be hotter if he had worn something else. Preferably something that would be noticeable if wet. Shaking his head, he looked up at Owen. “What next on your Tour de Isla Nublar?”

 

“Well, you've already gotten behind the scenes at the raptor paddock...” He paused and smiled. “Waaaaay behind the scenes.”

 

“God.”

 

“So...I thought we'd go kayaking or something.”

 

Zach stared. “Kayaking...” He repeated.

 

“Yep.”

 

“Jurassic World doesn't have a kayaking attraction.”

 

“Not yet.” Owen began leading the way out of the ampitheater. “But your aunt is looking at opening one up soon, and they've got the kayaks. Plus, I know people, and I train fucking velociraptors. What's to stop us from kayaking?” His eyes posed a challenge, and Zach decided arguing would not be in his best interest if he was to ever get laid that day.

 

“Owen?” He asked.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Do you even know how to kayak?”

 

Owen shrugged. “It's just a boat. We'll be fine.”

 

**

 

Owen was partially right. Yes, the kayak was a type of boat. On the other hand...

 

“Move, you damn boat!” Owen shouted at no one in particular, swiping the oar through the water. Luckily he was positioned in front of Zach, so the younger boy got away with the occasional attempted stroke. Mainly, he relaxed and watched Owen fight with the oar, biting back laughter.

 

“Hey, Owen, I think you actually have to put the oar in the water,” he teased.

 

“Haha. Very funny.”

 

“Whatever happened to, 'It's just a boat. Blah blah blah. I was in the navy, so that give me the ability to pilot any type of aquatic device. Blah blah blah'?”

 

“I will turn this boat around, Zach Mitchell.”

 

“You can barely get it to go forward,” Zach snorted.

 

Owen would have glared, except for the fact that he couldn't turn completely. They'd been stuck in that boat for twenty minutes, and it felt like forever. According to the map, they shouldn't have been too far from the nearest visitors' center, but frankly, his ass was starting to hurt.

 

“You know...” Zach started, sensing an opportunity. “I can't help but wonder all the things we could be doing at home right now.” His eyes bore holes into Owen's back. “I mean, don't get me wrong. Kayaking is a definite turn-on for me, but...”

 

“I swear to God, Zach.”

 

Zach grinned and watched Owen struggle for a few more minutes before adding a stroke or two to their progress down the river. The shade from the trees helped provide some relief from the hot temperature, but it was humid as hell. He didn't sweat much, seeing that he literally just rode the entire time. Owen, however, was drenched by the time they made it to a docking point beside the visitors' center. He quickly tossed the oar onto the tiny pier where Owen's 'friend' was set to retrieve the kayak at a later time. Zach followed suit and grasped the wooden pier with both hands to secure the boat.

 

“You get out. I'll hold it,” Owen told him, just grateful to be rid of the duties of paddling.

 

Zach carefully raised himself up while grasping the stairs of the pier, making sure not to allow the boat to rotate. Shakily, he raised one leg and placed it on the stairs. Followed by the other leg. Then he climbed up and stood, waiting. Owen tossed him the end of a rope and motioned to the post on the dock, and Zach looped it around, securing the knot tightly.

 

“Are you sure you can get out?” He asked, observing.

 

“I've got it.”

 

Owen slowly began to stand on wobbly knees, hands grasping the pier. Unfortunately, no one was there to hold the boat, and as soon as one leg was out, it rotated away from the pier. “Aw, fuck!” He muttered before promptly tumbling out with a splash.

 

Zach's mouth fell open, and an uncontrollable laugh escaped him. “Oh my god!” He laughed. First the inability to kayak. Now the fall? Their tour of the park was actually turning out to be quite fun. 

 

Owen's head bobbed up, and he grasped the stairs of the pier, climbing up. “Oh, laugh it up. I know. Hilarious.” He clambered onto the deck and raised up, water dripping off of his body. He glared at his laughing boyfriend for a second before a wicked smile crossed his face. “That fall really hurt my pride. I think I could use a hug...” He slowly shuffled forward, arms stretching out.

 

Zach's eyes widened, and he backed off. “Owen...” He warned. 

 

“Come on, baby. Don't you love me?” Owen just continued with an angelic smile.

 

“Owen Grady! Don't even think about it!” He turned to run, but a strong hand grasped his forearm firmly, and he struggled to escape. “Stop!” He cried out.

 

Owen pursed his lips in a mock pout. “You don't want to hug me?”

 

“You're covered in dirty river water!”

 

“Come on, baby! Feel the love!” He slowly pulled a protesting Zach in.

 

“OWEN!” But it was too late. Zach was firmly squeezed against Owen's sopping wet body in an uncomfortably-damp bear hug. Owen let out a victorious laugh and lifted Zach higher, pinning his arms to his side.

 

“I love youuuuuuu!” He cooed, rubbing his wet hands all on Zach's back. 

 

“I hate you,” Zach whined, still struggling. 

 

Owen gave a final laugh and released his boyfriend to shake himself off like a dog. Zach examined his wet clothes with a mixture between a smile and a frown that surprisingly wasn't a neutral expression. “Seriously, Owen?” He couldn't even appreciate the fact that Owen's shirt was hugging him in all the right ways.

 

“That'll teach you to make fun of my kayaking skills. I get that you're still technically a teenager, but how much sarcasm can you possibly contain?”

 

Zach opened his mouth to respond, but he kept getting distracted by how wet Owen actually was. He knew he'd been assaulted with a gross, wet bear hug, and he was supposed to be mad. However, maybe he didn't have to pretend not to be turned on. His eyes met Owen's, and he thought of a way to get back to the bungalow. 

 

“Actually, there's still a lot in me. I mean, it'd be a shame to let me keep enjoying this wonderful park without learning my lesson completely.” A sly smile crossed his face. “I'm sure you could help me out with that, right?”

 

Owen smiled, understanding where he was going. He wasn't sure how long Zach would actually have put up with the island tour, and lunch plus two attractions was far beyond what he'd expected. Maybe he could reward him a little. Or...punish him a lot.

 

“You may be right,” he answered smoothly. “I don't think you've learned your lesson at all. We should probably get back to the bungalow before you start getting out of hand.”

 

Zach let out a relieved sigh. “Guess we should.”

 

Owen came forward and slipped his hands down to cup his waist delicately. “Where do you keep coming up with these good ideas?” He pressed a soft kiss to Zach's lips, their noses brushing.

 

Zach gave a tentative smile and reached up just to feel that rough scruff under his palm. 

 

“I learn from the best.”


	8. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Owen finally gets the opportunity to show Zach how amazing his girls are. He's so sure they'll love Zach, but how sure is Zach that they won't love him just for the extra protein?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so first off, I've officially been up for a straight 30 hours with no sleep or anything, so I apologize if this comes out weird, and if there are misplaced sentences or words. Honestly, I'm so out of it right now. Plus, my classes start tomorrow, and I REALLY just want to stay home and cuddle my Star-Lord pillow and read fanfiction. :( I have a favor. Someone pleeaaassee write a short little cute Owen Grady fanfic drabble thing to get me through the day... xD

Owen had spent the better part of his and Zach's entire relationship trying to get his boyfriend to meet his raptor pack. In fact, it often became a regular dinnertime conversation. And by conversation, he meant his begging and Zach's dismissing. There seemed to always be an excuse. Zach had a headache. Zach was too busy doing his online college work. Zach promised to Skype his mother. Then there was the one about feeling like Owen was too invested in his work. “Just relax, and take a break!” He'd told him. “I can wait to meet them. You've spent way too much time at the paddock anyways. Enjoy the weekend.” And he'd distracted him with insane sex.

 

One particular day, it was time for the girls to get their check-ups done. Owen had already planned on staying to ensure the safety of the vets, but Barry stopped him before he could go prep the girls.

 

“You, my friend,” he told him, pressing his hands against his chest, “are going home.”

 

“What? I've got to-”

 

“-Relax, Owen. I've got this under control. You've been working late nights anyways. Take a break.”

 

“Barry, look-”

 

“-No. You're leaving. Goodbye.” He continued to press forward, and Owen sighed, finally giving up.

 

“Okay! Okay! Fine.” He crossed his arms in what Zach would have called a 'pout', and his eyes narrowed. “But if one thing goes wrong today, you're calling me.”

 

Barry smiled in victory. “Which nothing will, but if it makes you feel better, yes.”

 

Owen sighed. “Well...I'll see you tomorrow.”

 

“I'd expect nothing less.”

 

Owen turned and walked across the crunching gravel to his motorcycle. 'At least Zach will be happy,' he thought to himself. Then he smiled. He had an idea.

 

**

 

Zach looked up from his laptop when he heard the ever-familiar roar of Owen's motorcycle. He shouldn't have been home until at least six... He shut the lid to his PC, set it aside, and stood up to cross to the screen door. A warm breeze blew in from the lake, and the air had the scent of rain and oil from Owen's tools that lay scattered on the tiny porch. Sure enough, Owen Grady himself was pulling in to halt next to the porch steps. The raptor trainer climbed off, ran a hand through his hair, and began stomping up the steps.

 

Zach stepped back so he could enter and cocked his head once he did. “Why are you home so early? Is something wrong?”

 

Owen waved his hand in dismissal. “Nah. Nothing's wrong. Barry all but forced me to take a half-day since the girls are getting their check-ups.” His eyes crinkled in amusement. “I hope Charlie gives 'em hell.”

 

Zach was suddenly visited by an image of a raptor sitting on a doctor's table, the doctor tapping its knee with a tiny hammer. God knew what went on during a raptor's check-up. Nevertheless, a smile graced his lips at the prospect of an extra half-day with Owen. “That's good. You've been working...you know...a LOT.”

 

“I know, I know...” Owen's gaze shifted to the floor in a subconscious apology. “But...” He looked back up, a grin wide on his face. “I thought today would be the perfect opportunity for you to meet the girls!” That grin was normally infectious, but Zach only felt an uncomfortable stirring in the pit of his stomach.

 

“Um...”

 

“I mean, we'll give them a few hours until their check-ups are finished, but then you can finally get properly introduced.” His eyes were bright with excitement. No doubt just anticipating the moment his pack met his 'mate'.

 

Zach rubbed his fingertips together, a nervous habit he'd picked up. “Owen, are you sure we should do this today? I mean, they'll probably still be all restless from getting check-ups. It'd make more sense to do it on a normal day.” As normal as a day could be on an island chock full of 'extinct' creatures.

 

Owen shrugged. “I'm their Alpha. They'll listen to me. And they're smart. They'll get that you and I are together.”

 

“How can you know that for sure?”

 

“Well, for starters, my girls were genetically-modified so that their senses of smell are hightened. I'm sure they can tell if two people have been...” He made a suggestive gesture, and Zach rolled his eyes.

 

“I don't know...”

 

“Aw, come on, babe. What's the matter? Are you scared?” He sauntered forward to cup Zach's waist in his hands.

 

“What? No! Of course not.” He looked up into Owen's eyes and nodded more to himself than anyone. “I trust you.”

 

A smile split the older man's face. “Then it's settled. The Beta meets the pack.”

 

“I thought Blue was your Beta?”

 

Owen winked. “She doesn't have to know that.”

 

**

 

And so it was settled. Zach was officially going to meet the pack. He knew Owen wouldn't purposely put him in any sort of danger whatsoever, but his judgement was known to be just a tad clouded when it came to his prized raptor 'children'. He couldn't help but feel nervous when he thought of all those teeth...and claws...and scales. Scales freaked him out. It was bad enough he had to worry about Owen being out there every day risking his life, but now he had to join him? Sweat pooled in his palms, and the hot island air felt even hotter. 'They're just velociraptors,' he told himself mentally. Then he paused and frowned. That definitely didn't help one bit. 'Just velociraptors' that could rip his throat out with one bite. 

 

Owen (for some reason) couldn't sense his hesitance at all. He just seemed thrilled that the moment of truth had come, no doubt imagining the sense of pride commanding the raptors in front of his lover would bring him. It was hard to keep him still, so much that it was beginning to feel like babysitting Gray back at home. For God's sake...

 

“Alright, Zach, come on!” Owen called from the screen door on his way out of the bungalow. 

 

“Coming!” Zach tried to sound as positive as he could. The sensible part of him knew that Owen wouldn't let anything happen to him, but still...why couldn't they just stay home and do normal couple things? He trudged down the hallway and slipped into a casual walk when he reached Owen. His boyfriend smiled softly and led the way down to the motorcycle. Owen took his place and waited patiently as Zach clambered on, still as awkward as always. His arms encircled Owen's waist, and the larger man kicked off to begin the drive to the paddock.

 

'Well,' thought Zach. 'At least I can get this out of the way.' 

 

The ride, of course, didn't take long, and they were soon pulling into the packed gravel surrounding the raptor enclosure. Only a few cars were there, with it being so late in the day, and as they crunched across the gravel, Barry spotted them from the catwalk.

 

“What are you doing here, Owen?” He called.

 

Owen held up a hand to block out the dropping sun and held the other to the side of his mouth. “Relax! Just here to introduce Zach to the girls!”

 

Barry held up his hands in defeat and backed up to the railing of the catwalk. Owen stretched his hand out, and his fingertips crept around Zach's until he was holding his hand securely. “It's best if they see as connected,” he explained. “Might even have to get a little intimate. You know...better safe than sorry.”

 

Zach shoved at Owen's side. “Oh, shut up,” he grumbled.

 

“What? Not a fan of exhibitionalism?” 

 

“I'm getting tempted to walk home.”

 

“Hey!” Owen chuckled and tugged his frame against his, wrapping his arm snugly around his small waist. “None of that. We're having fun, remember?”

 

Fun. If Owen honestly thought that introducing his boyfriend to deadly predators was fun, he could only wonder what sort of upbringing he'd had. 

 

Owen began to lead him closer to the enclosure, and he paused in front of a barred gate. With the press of a button, it slid open, and he pulled Zach inside, shutting it behind him. There was a rustling in the underbrush, and a long snout poked from the bushes, sniffing the air tentatively. They scented Owen. Without warning, he let out a high-pitched whistle. The rustling erupted, and four enormous raptors darted out to skid to a grinding halt in front of the safety gate. Their heads shoved as close as possible to the bars, and all eight eyes focused instantly on Zach.

 

He froze, heart going still. Even though he couldn't imagine being any closer to them...they were magnificent up close. Their skin glistened with different shades of green and brown, apart from Blue, naturally. Their eyes were a deep, vibrant yellow that was so sharp and so brilliant. They weren't just clueless animals. They were calculating. Intelligent, even.

 

Owen took a step forward, holding up their intertwined hands. “Girls, this is Zach. He...is...mine. Okay? Be nice.”

 

His, huh? Zach smiled at the force in which he delivered the words. Blue stretched her neck out, nose pressing in between the bars. She chuffed once, almost in a question.

 

Owen gently placed a hand on the small of Zach's back and pulled him closer, met with a little resistance. They may have looked cool, but they were still deadly. He gently brought Zach's hand to his whiskered lips and kissed it once. “Mine. Mate. Okay?”

 

The raptors tilted their heads and made tiny clicking noises, communicating with each other. It only made Zach feel like he was the defendant awaiting the jury's final decision.

 

“Okay, Zach? I'm gonna bring your hand up on top of Blue's snout. Very slowly, okay?”

 

“Wait, what?” Zach went to retract his hand, and Owen turned. 

 

“This is the only way to prove that you don't want to hurt them.” His gaze was piercing. “Blue won't hurt you. I know it.”

 

Zach bit his lip. Owen was practically dying to see him interact with his precious raptors, and they were in a safety cage, so...

 

“Fine.” He held up his hand, and Owen grasped the top of it, slowly bringing it up, closer and closer to the bars of the cage.

 

Blue's eyes watched it curiously, and she snorted when it paused above her long snout, not yet moving. Zach winced a little at the sound, but Owen's hand was firm. It began its descent slowly, and Zach's eyes widened as his flesh met the skin of the raptor. It was smooth and warm to the touch, harder than human flesh, of course. Blue slowly closed her eyes, and a purr-like sound resonated from her throat. A grin slowly spread over Owen's face. “She likes you!” He whispered.

 

Zach carefully rubbed his thumb over the skin and almost didn't notice remove his hand. He began to move his hand itself, stroking up and down the raptor's snout. The other girls stood back for a moment before beginning to chuff more, and Blue opened her eyes lazily, answering with a few clicks.

 

Owen laughed, and Zach became curious. “What?” He asked, not taking his eyes off the beautiful creature before him.

 

“If I'm not mistaken, she just told the others to back the fuck off.”

 

Zach grinned a little. “This is really happening.”

 

“I told you they'd love you. They can tell that I do, too.”

 

Owen stepped up and held his palms to the gate, soon to be met by two very eager raptors: Delta and Charlie. Zach watched Echo glare at the other two, and he slowly began to reach out his other hand. “Come on, Echo,” he breathed.

 

The last raptor turned her head, saw the hand, and immediately stepped forward with a contented chuff to rub her snout against the displayed palm. Zach felt a surprised laugh tumble from his mouth, and Owen followed with a warm chuckle. “Would you look at that...” His gaze observed Zach's face. “Keep going, and you could make raptor trainer one day.”

 

Zach thought of the long days baking under the island sun, laboring to get raptors to follow simple commands. Then he pictured doing it alongside Owen. Zach and Owen. Co-trainers. The Alpha, and the Beta. Their own messed up little family... He slowly shook his head. “That would be...something.”

 

With Owen Grady, anything was something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No but like if you wrote one I would love you forever


	9. Playing Hooky (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach thought he was through with the panic attacks, but the past refuses to be left alone. Owen may have a solution, but that includes ditching school to cuddle and watch Netflix. Zach thinks that's okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had a late start on starting this, and it's so late right now that I'm nodding off randomly. I thought I'd separate it into two parts. That way, I won't miss a day of posting. Cool? Cool. Also I changed the concept juuuust a bit. But not too much, so don't worry!

It had been four months since “The Incident”. The most terrifying experience of Zach's life. The event that haunted his dreams nightly. The thing everyone talked about, but no one spoke of. Everyone danced around the subject carefully...Gray, his mother, his father (in the three weeks he'd remained with them). His aunt had decided to move closer to her sister after the fallout. She now rented a home near their own, still employed by the Masrani company. Sure, she had been compensated a great deal for having endured the trauma she had, but she was a worker at heart, and she was determined to 'right her wrongs'. 

 

Zach had been worried once the threat of dying had blown over. In the week he'd been there before the mass chaos, Owen and he had grown close. Well, close was putting it mildly. They'd had some pretty awesome sex in his office. The problem was, neither of them was willing to let go. And Owen had been the first to ask if a relationship would be something he wanted. He'd told him that it was. Then the fucking mutant dinosaur escaped and murdered tons of people.

 

There they stood, on the ferry. “What...what happens now?” Zach asked him quietly. He was almost afraid of the answer.

 

Owen looked at the horizon with a distant look on his face. “Well,” he said, “I don't think it will be too weird if I wanted to rent an apartment in Madison. After what we just went through, sticking together is what people would expect us to do.” By us, he meant he, Zach, Gray, and Claire. 

 

Zach smiled and looked around for his aunt before leaning a little against Owen. “...Good.”

 

“Are you going to tell anybody?”

 

Zach was technically an adult now, and his parents knew that he was gay, but he could only imagine trying to tell them he had a crush on (and was in a relationship with) a thirty-two-year-old, ex-Navy SEAL, raptor trainer. He sighed slowly. “I...I want to. But we should wait a little while. My parents need to like you before they accept you.”

 

“Even though you're eighteen?”

 

“Just turned eighteen. Plus, they own the house I live in.”

 

Owen smiled a little. “You could just live with me, then.”

 

Zach chuckled. “I wouldn't even be allowed back for Thanksgiving.”

 

Owen nodded, and they lapsed into a comfortable silence until Claire found them and began discussing the plans for what they would do once the ferry reached the mainland.

 

Now, four months had gone by since that day, and Zach was back in his school, struggling to finish the year without any D's. He remembered a time when schoolwork came naturally to him. Almost like Gray. And then, he'd just...stopped caring so much. What was the point anyways? He saw the point now, because it was getting hard to make sure he would have enough credits to graduate. And it wasn't just dealing with credits and the divorce that was stressing him out. There were the stares.

 

Every class, every hall, every building. There were people who had heard about the Mitchell brothers on the tv. They'd seen the wreckage of the theme park, seen the video of his aunt running from a T-Rex, seen the ground littered with bodies of people and dinosaurs alike...and they wanted to know how cool it was. The fucking idiots thought nearly dying and watching others die was a sport of some sort! How they “wished they were there to see it”. No. They didn't. Even his teachers treated him like he was something fragile, afraid to talk with him in the case of him blowing up. How could he forget what happened with people throwing the events right back in his face?

 

He wasn't sure what made that Friday such an unbearable day. Everything was going as it normally did. He went to school, hid in the back through the first three periods, and on the way to fourth, he had passed by a group of kids still talking about Jurassic World. It was four months ago! The bodies of students around him suddenly turned into the bodies of tourists. The air was hot and humid, and the chatter filled his ears with an annoying buzz. He heard a scream, and he whirled. The pteradons. Without thinking, he pushed his way through the crowd, going anywhere but here. He had to get away.

 

And then he was outside. For real. His eyes widened when he saw his surroundings, and his back slumped against the wall of the school building, slowly sliding down until he gripped his knees. What was happening? It hadn't been this bad since the first week back. His eyes began to water, and he realized there was no one there to hold him steady. He missed Owen.

 

They still saw one another every night, whether if it was at Owen's or at his own place. His father had nothing to do with him, but his mother had welcomed Owen, primarily for keeping her sons safe during the events of Isla Nublar. Owen was currently living off of the hefty compensation check he'd received himself, but he rarely used it for more than necessities. He wasn't a very materialistic person. “All I need is food, shelter, and you,” he'd answered, nudging Zach playfully one night after Zach had asked about the emptiness of the house.

 

Zach felt in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He could afford a day. Just one day. He dialed a number and held the phone to his ear, letting it ring. It rang twice before Owen picked up. “Hey. You okay?”

 

Zach took a shaky breath, shaking his head. “No.”

 

He heard Owen made an odd noise, and then his voice came through again, sounding more like someone trying to coax down a dog. “Zach, listen to me, okay? Everything's gonna be fine. The island is gone. You're home again.” He was giving the speech he'd given to Zach the first time he'd had a panic attack. But he misunderstood this time.

 

“Wait, Owen,” Zach interrupted. “It's not that... I just...” He sank lower to the ground. “I can't handle this anymore. I need you.” I. Need. You. Three words that could always be said to Owen, no matter where nor when.

 

“You at school?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Wait for me in the parking lot.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I love you.”

 

Zach hung up and dried his eyes a little before clambering to his feet just as the tardy bell rang. 'Sorry, calculus...' he thought with dry humor. He made his way around the outside of the main school building until he reached the back end where the student/teacher parking lot was. He wasn't sure how a teacher would react to seeing him out there standing, he decided to wait close to the edge of the back side of the building. Owen lived roughly ten minutes away.

 

And he made it there in five.

 

He recognized the sound of Owen's (new) motorcycle from a block away. Sure enough, his boyfriend came riding smoothly into the parking lot, looking around from inside the law-required helmet. He may have not been one for material possessions, but there was 'no way in hell' he would give up riding a motorcycle. Zach emerged from hiding and crossed the lot quickly. By the time he reached Owen, the man's helmet was removed so he could pull Zach close and kiss him warmly. A sudden, wild relief flooded through his veins. Owen.

 

They broke apart, and Owen handed Zach the spare helmet. “I'm taking you home.”

 

“Wait, I thought-”

 

“-My home.”

 

Zach smiled softly, put the helmet on, and climbed on the back of the motorcycle, hooking his arms around Owen's waist tightly. “Let's get out of here.”

 

Owen kicked the bike off with a sudden roar, and they sped out of the parking lot, Zach's stress being left behind in the cold brick buildings of Madison High.

 

**

 

“So tell me,” Owen held Zach's waist and pulled him down to his lap on the couch. “What happened?” His hands remained secured to Zach's sides, not allowing any possibility of escape from his lap.

 

Zach frowned. “I...don't even know. I was in the hallway, and...then I was back on the island. It was like I was dreaming.”

 

“Flashback?”

 

“I thought I was done with those.” He looked down. “What's wrong with me?”

 

Owen frowned and tilted the younger boy's chin up to look him in the eyes. “Nothing. Nothing at all. You can't just get over stuff like this.”

 

“But...you haven't?”

 

“You aren't here at night anymore.” Owen's eyes betrayed a tired look, the ghost of haunted dreams peaking through.

 

Zach made a face before wrapping his arms around Owen's waist. He buried his face snugly in Owen's neck and breathed in the familiar scent of his skin. “I'm sorry.”

 

“It's okay. I have a lot of coffee.” He tried to play it off as humorous.

 

“I wish I could stay with you.”

 

“I know. But your mom needs you right now. I'll be here. After you graduate, it's my turn to have you. Deal?”

 

Zach glanced at Owen's face and nodded. “Deal.” 

 

His face still looked glum, so Owen put on a determined face. “Zachary Mitchell,” he said began, “You are in enormous need of some cheering up. You're not leaving my house until I know for sure you're better.” He rubbed Zach's legs.

 

Zach let out a huff of air. “Don't tempt me to stay sad.” He wouldn't mind staying with Owen.

 

Owen stood and lowered Zach to the floor. “Stay put.” And then he disappeared.

 

Zach got bored of standing and plopped down on the couch, looking at Owen's television. It wasn't even a big, fancy one. He had been adamant about wanting the same brand of tv he'd had in his bungalow on the island. He heard footsteps, and he looked up to see Owen returning to the den with two bottled beers. He handed one to Zach with a half-smile. “Just don't let your mom smell your breath.”

 

Zach accepted it. “Thanks.” And he took a long sip. It wasn't anything as strong as tequila, but any alcohol was a blessing at the moment. 

 

Owen got behind him and plopped on the couch, setting down his beer and reaching for the remote. With his free hand, he tugged Zach down to the spot beside him, and Zach wasted no time in nestling up against him. He watched with vague curiosity as Owen pulled up Netflix.

 

“What are you doing?” He finally asked.

 

“We're watching your favorite movie.”

 

Zach narrowed his eyes as he saw the title Owen had clicked on. “Finding Nemo?”

 

“You said that was your favorite.”

 

“When I was five.” There was a pause, and he began to actually laugh. “When did I tell you this anyways?”

 

Owen's eyes stopped crinkling in amusement, and he grew serious. “Your fifth night on the island, we were talking. You said you didn't understand the concept of current movies. You said they used to be much better, like Finding Nemo, which also was your favorite...when you were five...” He trailed off. “I'm starting to realize that was used in the past tense.”

 

Zach laughed and felt his heart thump. “I can't believe you remembered that.”

 

“I remember everything you tell me about yourself. Mostly, obviously.” He looked, unsure, at Zach. “So what do you want to watch?”

 

“Oh, no!” Zach laughed and patted Owen's chest. “Play it. Let's watch it.”

 

Owen chuckled and pressed play. “Good. I like this movie.”

 

END OF PART 1


	10. Part 2 to whatever the heck the previous chapter was called

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so so so so sorry this didn't get up last night! A storm knocked my wifi out, so it was impossible for me to post. I'm a day behind in my writing now, so I may not post a chapter on this tomorrow because I need to post the first chapter of my newest work (which is still Zachwen, so don't worry). Please check it out if you'd like! Again, so sorry about last night.

“So,” Owen murmured low into Zach's ear, “what should we do now?” They had just finished watching Finding Nemo, curled up together on the couch. Zach felt extremely comfortable in this position, and he really didn't want to lose the extra body heat. Unfortunately, his stomach had other plans.

 

“Food?” He inquired quietly.

 

Owen chuckled and began to slide out from behind his body. “That's right. Sometimes I forget you're still a teenager.” He stood up and stretched his limbs out. “Do you wanna go get something, or...?”

 

Zach shook his head, sitting up. “I don't think I can be around a lot of people right now.”

 

“Still? Hm.” Owen gave a determined look. “I'm gonna have to try harder.” He smiled. “But don't worry. I've got tons of the unhealthy foods you love. What'll it be?”

 

Zach shrugged. “I dunno.”

 

“So you want pizza then.” Owen nodded and left to go to the kitchen.

 

Damn, he was good. Zach watched him leave with a soft smile. If there was one person on the planet that knew the inner workings of his mind, it was Owen Grady. He could hear the sounds of pans clacking and the oven creaking open, and Owen returned with his hands singing back and forth. “We got seventeen minutes. What do you want to do?” He perched on the arm of the couch, and Zach just looked up at his eyes.

 

“Can...you just...?” Zach hated feeling so pathetic, but he figured since Owen had been so understanding of him before, he'd be okay with anything he had to ask. “Come here?'

 

Owen's eyes softened, and he got off the arm to sit beside Zach, his leg pressed against his own. An arm was wrapped around his shoulders, and Zach rested his head on Owen's shoulders. Their breathing was the only sound for a moment, but a question was burning in Zach's mind. “What's happening to me?”

 

Owen pressed his scruffy cheek against Zach's hair and reached to play with his fingers. “Nothing's wrong with you, Zach.”

 

“Then why can't I get rid of that island?”

 

Owen sighed and thought for a moment before opening his mouth. “Zach, I used to be in the Navy. I've been to places that had some of the most awful people in the world. I've seen some pretty terrible stuff.” He looked out of the window. “That day on the island was worse than any single day of my time serving. It's no wonder you've been having these flashbacks.”

 

“But...it's been four months,” Zach mumbled. All he wanted was a normal life. Parents that got along. The only contrast to that scenario was that he actually didn't mind his boyfriend being an ex-Navy raptor trainer. 

 

“I know, babe,” Owen murmured. “These things don't leave easily. They'll always be there.”

 

Well thanks for that wonderful information.

 

“But so will I.”

 

Zach looked up at Owen's words and finally smiled a little. “Good to know.”

 

“But your mother's going to kill me if you start skipping school to come here.” Owen smiled in amusement. “Not that I mind.” 

 

“Yeah...” Zach breathed out. “I just needed someone to talk to.”

 

“I'm glad you came.”

 

“Yeah?” His hand casually slipped up to rub Owen's forearm. He had to admit something. Since the fallout, he had expected Owen's physique to drop just a little, being that he didn't have to spend all day working with raptors. Instead, he'd taken up daily jogs, minor weight-lifting, and other exercises to keep up his muscle structure. It was less rugged and more toned, but still as 'damn hot' to Zach.

 

“Definitely.” 

 

His free hand snaked over Zach's thigh comfortingly. “You think your mom would let you stay over tonight?”

 

Zach chuckled. “Give me some chocolate and an hour to argue with her, and yeah. Totally could.”

 

“I'm serious though. It's been forever.”

 

“Because the last time, it took me a week for her to say yes.”

 

Owen shrugged. “You're practically an adult. It should be your decision anyways.”

 

“Free will is hard to get when you grow up with my mom.” Zach smiled. “But since you're practically begging me...”

 

Owen poked Zach. “Keep on,” he dared him.

 

Zach's eyes sparked briefly at the challenge. “You mean keep on talking about how desperate you are to spend time with me?” The words were barely out of his mouth before he was pinned against the couch, and Owen's fingers danced across his stomach. He writhed, and uncontrollable laughter escaped his mouth. Tears clouded his eyes, and he tried to fight back, but Owen was relentless. Plus, his hands were pinned by Owen's body.

 

“I warned you!” 

 

“Owen! S-stop!” Zach bucked, but the weight of his boyfriend only increased.

 

“Do you give up?” The fingers moved to his ribs.

 

“I swear to God, I'm gonna pee if you keep on!”

 

“Admit defeat!”

 

“F-fine! I surrender! Just g-get the hell off of me!” 

 

Owen brought his hands away, chuckling in amusement at the laughter he'd gotten out of Zach. He leaned down to hover over his panting boyfriend, a twinkle in his bright-green eyes. “I hope you understand the terms of surrender,” he told him softly.

 

Zach looked up with still-watery eyes, but a calm smile was spreading. “Those would be...?” He made no effort to regain the use of his arms.

 

Owen pursed his lips. “Term 1: You have to stay here tonight.”

 

“I can make it work.”

 

“Term 2: You have to keep that cute smile on your face.” His eyes crinkled at the edges.

 

Zach breathed out in amusement. “I can try.”

 

Owen smirked. “And term 3...” He leaned down and kissed Zach's neck softly. “You have to do exactly as I tell you.”

 

“Hey, Owen...?” Zach murmured in a sexual tone. His leg slid up Owen's, and he felt the larger man tense above him.

 

“Yeah, baby?”

 

Zach leaned up to press his lips against Owen's ear with a coy smile, loving the way the breath on his neck quickened. “You're burning the pizza.”

 

Owen narrowed his eyes in confusion before it dawned on him that the timer had been going off for quite some time. “Dammit!” He cursed and rolled off to scurry into the kitchen while Zach lay laughing to himself. He heard the oven creak open, and the smell of burning food got stronger. Owen released a few more choice words and turned on the stove fan before returning casually into the living room. He paused in front of the couch with his hands clasped. “So...er...I'm gonna maybe order some instead.”

 

Zach chuckled again and sat up. “It's a wonder you managed to train four raptors without dying.”

 

“Yeah, well, you weren't there to distract me when I was running drills.” 

 

“You gotta learn to focus, Grady.”

 

“You know, I could turn the tables anytime I wanted...” Owen smirked.

 

Zach averted his eyes to avoid seeing that cocky grin. The grin that could turn his knees to jelly in an instant. “Just order the pizza,” he muttered.

 

“Eyes on me.”

 

Oh for fuck's sake. He flicked his gaze up to match Owen's, and he was unable to resist that dumb smile that cropped up on his face. Owen seemed satisfied with himself, so he uncrossed his arms and chuckled. “Good job on keeping term 3.”

 

Zach narrowed his eyes, but the smile refused to go away, so he just ignored it. Owen pulled out his phone and tapped through it. “Did you know they make apps for ordering pizzas now?” He asked in genuine amazement. “This thing's been a lifeline!”

 

Zach laughed and nodded. “I forget that you've been on a literal island for quite some time.”

 

“Wait, how long has this thing been a thing?” Owen looked up and frowned.

 

“Again, quite some time.” Zach shook his head. “It's been four months, and you still have a lot of catching up to do.” To be honest, he hadn't known Owen's obliviousness to technological advances had been this bad. At least he didn't know who the Kardashians were...

 

“Done.” Owen pocketed his phone. “Now where were we?”

 

**

 

Three hours, two make-out sessions, one pizza, and an extremely long phone call later, Zach got the approval to stay the night. 

 

“What'd she say?” Owen tried not to appear too eager, but his foot tapped impatiently. Zach had been on the phone for at least a half hour doing some persuading. 

 

“I can stay, but-and I'm quoting her on this- there better not be any gross stuff in the bedroom.” Zach chuckled and slipped his phone into his pocket. “Which, I really don't know if she trusts us that much or if she just feels obligated to say it.”

 

Owen grinned for a moment and came forward to grasp Zach's waist. “We don't have to be limited to the bedroom anyway.”

 

“Good thinking.” Zach slowly smiled, and Owen leaned down just a little to place a tender kiss on his lips. His hand rubbed the scruff of the older man, and he felt his body naturally begin to lean into him. After a long (and amazing) moment, he pulled away to find Owen gazing at him.

 

“How are you feeling?” He asked in a sincere tone.

 

Zach took a breath and nodded slowly. “I feel better. Good, even.” 

 

The hands on his waist slid to the small of his back, and Owen pulled him into a big bear hug. He rested his chin on his neck and laughed when Zach cringed at the feeling of a prickly beard against his skin. “Good. I'm aiming for 'awesome', though, so it's a good thing we've got all night.”

 

Zach eyed his discarded backpack from over Owen's shoulder and closed his eyes to sink into the embrace. No school. No people. No noise. Just Owen and himself until he had to go home. And even then he'd probably still hang out with Owen for a while. It took moments like this to remind himself that once it was all said and done, he had a good life. Everything would end up okay. 

 

“Wanna find a spot that isn't the bedroom?” Owen's voice murmured, his hand slipping lower.

 

Everything would end up 'awesome'.


	11. Airport

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Owen tells Claire Dearing exactly what he likes about Zach while Zach catches up on some much needed sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys...this obsession with Owen Grady is getting out of control. He's too damn cute for his own good. And honestly, the motorcycle-fixing shirt he wore at his bungalow in the movie was way hotter than the vest getup to me. Then again, Chris Pratt could wear a spotted bell-bottoms and a purple crop-top and still look amazing.

Owen glanced in the rear view mirror of the rental car and smiled softly before directing his attention back to the road. Both boys were out cold, exhausted from being up for over thirty-six hours straight on that nightmare of an island. Gray was curled up with his head on Zach's lap, and Zach was resting against the door in an uncomfortable-looking position. His eyes had dark rings under them, and his mouth was parted slightly, breathing softly against the window. To Owen, he'd never looked better. 

 

He knew that maybe it was wrong. Maybe he was just some sick fucker with a weird infatuation on a teenager. Whatever the case, he couldn't change how he felt about the kid. Hell, he had a hard time thinking straight when he was around him...when he felt his shoulder accidentally brush against his own... But so far, it seemed Zach was oblivious. The only person who knew any inkling of his feelings was Claire Dearing herself. All her life she'd been a very observatory woman, so it didn't take long for her to confront Owen about the gazes he was giving her nephew. She didn't necessarily think he was sick, but she did recommend not making any advancements just yet. Zach was only a teenager anyways.

 

Owen had decided to accompany the Mitchell brothers and their aunt back to the United States until he found a more stable job and housing. Until then, the Masrani compensation would cover a great apartment and necessities. And he would be close to Zach, regardless of how the kid felt about him. The abundance of traffic from fleeing tourists made it quite a drive to the airport, but they managed to make it thirty minutes before departure. Zach's eyes snapped open immediately after a door was opened, and he wearily straightened, popping his stiff neck with a yawn. His warm, chocolate eyes met Owen's momentarily, and Owen had to force himself to look away before he could seem any weirder. It would be a long flight.

 

They got through airport security and whatnot before they finally got to sit for the last fifteen minutes until their plane was set to depart. There happened to be a group of plastic waiting chairs away from most people, so they flocked over to them and plopped down. Gray immediately sank down and began to snooze, the short car power-nap not enough to give him sufficient energy. Owen watched as Zach slowly closed his eyes and then opened them, shifting in his seat.

 

“You can sleep, Zach. We'll wake you up,” he told him across Claire.

 

The boy looked up and nodded gratefully before closing his eyes and sinking back into a peaceful slumber. Owen watched for a moment, a smile playing on his lips. That kid had been through so much in the past forty-eight hours, and here he was...still fighting. He was definitely strong-willed. Owen only felt a stronger connection to him.

 

“You're like a hopeless schoolboy with a crush,” Claire's voice entered his ear, soft and almost a whisper.

 

Owen leaned back in his seat and fumbled with his passport. Usually it was other people that had crushes on him. He could play the part of the cocky, hard-to-get hunk. Having a crush on someone else was a different feeling entirely. His heart kept doing a weird thumping thing (other than the usual beating), and his palms kept feeling clammy. He was more awkward around Zach than he'd ever been around anyone. The smooth-talking, fluid raptor trainer was reduced to Harvey the AP virgin. After checking to make sure Zach was asleep, he looked at Claire. “You're right.” He looked straight ahead. “I don't know what to do.”

 

“Well, for starters, you let everything calm down.” Claire was handling this better than he'd ever imagined. He'd expected her to steal his knife and make a new sheath out of his ribs. “I know you think you're messed up, and I can see why, but...maybe it's just leftover adrenaline. You don't know if this is real or not yet.”

 

Owen's eyebrows creased together, and he looked over. There was something a little stinging about that statement. Like he actually didn't care much about Zach. Like it was just adrenaline giving him the hots for a sixteen-year-old. “But I really do like him,” he muttered. “I know it.”

 

Claire's eyes narrowed. “Okay then. Humor me. Why?” Her voice was still soft, but it almost provoked a challenge.

 

Owen nodded. “Okay, well for starters, he's a damn fighter.” He remembered how Zach had led his brother to safety after surviving an attack by the Indominus Rex. The boy had done everything to protect his brother. He'd jumped off a cliff! All Owen wanted was for Zach to know how amazing he'd been. 

 

“And secondly, he's smart.” Fixing up a twenty-year-old jeep in the dark? That took skills.

 

“I'll admit, Owen. You surprised me. I thought you were all about appearances.” Claire smirked a little, and Owen found it considerably different to not be the one with a smirk on his face.

 

“Well, I care more about that. He's just a...good person. He's cute, too.” Owen hadn't blushed in well over ten years, but he could've sworn he felt the heat creep into his cheeks. “The way his eyes always narrow up when he's thinking hard. And the way his hair got all messy when we were running.” Owen smiled. “That one dimple he has when he smiles.” He hadn't seen Zach smile much, but he'd been hooked after the first one.

 

Claire sighed and leaned back further, resting her aching muscles. “I never thought I'd be calm about Owen Grady having a crush on my nephew.”

 

“You never thought Owen Grady would even have a crush on your nephew.”

 

“That was surprising, too.”

 

They lapsed into silence, and Owen thought more about why he felt the way he did about Zach. There was nothing particularly special about the boy to an outsider, but to Owen he was...really, really cool. And maybe it was the fact that they'd survived a dinosaur fallout, but it wasn't the adrenaline. If anything, it was the fact that he'd seen how amazing Zach could be when pressed to the max. How strong and valiant he had been. Not many grown men would have survived what he'd been through, and not many men had. But there was something special in Zach. 

 

“He's special,” he stated calmly.

 

Claire breathed in and out for a moment. Then she looked at him. “Whatever you do, Owen...don't break his heart.”

 

Owen looked across her to focus on the snoozing teenager. A smile crossed his lips. “Not for anything.” He wanted Zach to be able to rest like this as long as he needed to. He deserved all the naps in the world after what he'd been put through. He was deep in that place of nothingness. Nothing could hurt him in his dreams. Nothing would ever hurt him in reality if Owen could help it. He could wait. Yeah, they'd just gotten off the island. Yes, Zach had no idea. But Owen would be there when he woke up. He would be there well after that, and he'd be there when he fell asleep again. Zach may have been asleep, but Owen would watch over him. He was nothing if not patient. For a guy like Zach, Owen Grady would wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole time I was writing this, I was listening to "The Way You Look Tonight" as sung by Chris Pratt (AKA Andy Dwyer) himself in the band Mouse Rat for Parks and Recreation. His voice is amazing and oh my God I had an idea. What if Owen sang to Zach? I'm going to go cry now from the adorable image of that happening okay bye.


	12. You Drive Me to Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Owen likes football, but he thinks he'll like it more with Zach with him. Zach gets drunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this wasn't requested, but I thought it might be cute :$

“Zaaaaaach!”

 

Zach sighed in front of his and Owen's bedroom mirror for the ninth time in the past minute as Owen's persistent call rang through the apartment. 

 

“Come on, Zach!”

 

Zach huffed angrily. “Oh, shut up! I'm coming!”

 

He examined himself in the mirror once more and rolled his eyes before trudging down the short hallway into the den. Owen was sitting on the couch with a bottle of tequila resting on the clear glass coffee table. A large bowl of Doritos was placed next to it, upon which he was casually snacking. It was a wonder he could maintain his perfect physique. Upon hearing Zach's soft footsteps, he turned around and broke into a smile. His eyes lit up, and he rested one arm on the back of the couch, still studying Zach. “That is absolutely, hands-down, the most adorable thing I've ever seen,” he stated, eyes twinkling happily.

 

Zach frowned and crossed his arms over his jersey-clad chest, not amused a bit. “Explain to me again why I have to wear this. And why I have to actually watch a football game.” The blue and green jersey had to be at least two sizes too big, but Owen didn't seem to mind a bit.

 

“Because,” the older man answered smoothly, “I like football. I like the Seahawks. I love you. It's like a combination of my favorite things.” He winked playfully.

 

Zach looked at his apparel. “You can't even see my shorts under this thing!”

 

“Which makes me wonder if you're actually wearing any...” Owen smirked and raked his eyes over Zach. 

 

He was having way too much of a kick out of seeing Zach decked out in a Seahawks jersey, and Zach didn't appreciate the idea of having to sit through an entire football game. He'd never been one for sports, really. More of an occasional skateboarding type.

 

Owen beckoned with a finger, and Zach sighed before crossing slowly to the front of the couch. Owen reached out with two strong arms and pulled him down into his lap without asking. His lips pressed tenderly against Zach's neck, and the younger boy's distaste in the situation lessened slightly in favor of receiving special treatment. He felt Owen's teeth graze over his pulse, and his breathing quickened. “Christ, Owen...If I'd known all it took was a football jersey...”

 

He heard a low, warm chuckle, and Owen pulled back to grin up at him. “There'll be plenty of time to continue that later, but it's kick-off time.” He pressed a quick kiss to Zach's lips, and his gaze switched to the television screen in front of him. Zach clenched his teeth in annoyance and slowly moved off of Owen's lap to sit on the couch. He knew if he got up, Owen would bitch about it for the rest of the month, and if he tried to watch the game, he would get confused and bored. Seeing as how invested his boyfriend was in the game, he reached and retrieved both the tequila and the bowl of Doritos. He might as well take advantage of the extra alcohol. It wasn't like Owen was paying that much attention anyways.

 

 

**

 

 

A few hours and lots of tequila later, the game was finally over. Zach was a little past tipsy, but still bored out of his mind. He'd proven himself once before to be the quiet drunk, and Owen hadn't noticed this time at all. Owen had spent the whole game randomly jumping up to cheer for the team. It startled Zach the first time and made him spill a few chips. It was just a game! He couldn't understand what was so exciting about watching a bunch of men chase a guy holding a ball. He tried to amuse himself by deciding which player had the best ass, but he couldn't see their faces to check if they were just as good. Owen was too busy watching to do any serious drinking, though, so Zach downed quite the few shots. When Owen jumped up for his final 'man-cheer' thing as the Seahawks scored a tie-breaking touchdown, Zach merely looked up from an empty food bowl. “What...happened?” Not that he cared.

 

“We won! That's what happened!” Owen beamed down. “You're gonna have to watch every Seahawks game with me now! You're like my good luck charm.” 

 

Zach groaned. “Oweeeeeeeennnnn...”

 

“What? That was fun!”

 

“Owen, I think I'm drunk.”

 

“What? Wait did you...?” Owen gaze fell on the nearly-empty bottle of tequila, and his eyes narrowed in concern. Normal people would feel too odd, but Zach had just taken up alcohol, so he was more prone to getting drunk. 

 

Zach poked at his chest. “I just sat through a whole night of stupid sports crap. You owe me something...” His words were slurred just a tad, but his eyes were focused sharply on Owen's chest.

 

“Let's get you to bed, okay?” Owen moved to pull Zach up, but the boy was having none of it. 

 

“S'okay, Owen. We can do it here.” His hand grasped Owen's shirt tightly. 

 

“What? Okay, Zach, seriously. Come with me.”

 

“Mmm.” Zach chuckled a little. “Will do.” His hands fumbled with his jersey, trying to take it off. As he tugged it over his head, he got tangled in it, and his voice came out in a whine. “Oweeen...”

 

Owen sighed and helped him out of the jersey, cursing himself for not paying closer attention to Zach. He'd figured he'd taken at least two shots, but not a whole bottle! And now he had to deal with the fact that he wanted to have super drunk sex. “We're going to bed.”

 

Zach frowned in a pout. “I don't want to.”

 

Owen sighed and scooped Zach easily into his arms before taking his quick strides to the bedroom. 

 

“Can't make me sleep,” Zach huffed indignantly, or as indignantly as he could.

 

Owen rolled his eyes. “Maybe you shouldn't watch football after all.” He gently placed Zach on the bed, and he watched as the boy fell back into the pillows. 

 

“Not my fault they're super duper boring,” Zach stating matter-of-factly. But his eyes were already beginning to close.

 

“I know,” Owen consoled him until his eyes were fully shut. A light snore was emitted from Zach's mouth, and it made Owen smile just a little. At least he was a cute drunk. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Zach's forehead. “Night, baby,” he whispered. He straightened and went back to go clean up the den. On his way out, however, he stopped and smiled in amusement. “You sure are gonna have one hell of a hangover.”

 

**

 

Owen was on Advil and toast duty the next morning, to say the least.


	13. Links to Owen Grady stuff

Okay, so I was gonna update one of my longer stories tonight, but I've gotten a bad headache, and it just keeps getting worse, and I really can barely concentrate on writing this right now, so here's some links to some Owen Grady (and/or Star-Lord) stories and whatnot. Please forgive me! I'm soooo sorry but ugh my head is demonic

 

owengradyxreader.tumblr.com

lmaoyougoodbruh.tumblr.com

owen-grady-imagines-or-die.tumblr.com

 

I own none of these by the way and sorry again


	14. Lack of Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach gets his wisdom teeth removed and turns into a whiny, giggly mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's super late, and this is super short (sorry!). It's weird getting back into the one-shot mindset after doing a story with a plot 0_o I'm just a few chapters away from the end of No One Said This Would Be Easy, and then I can do a couple of When I Come Around chapters before getting back into the one-shot routine. Thank you guys so much for reading!

Owen sat in the waiting room of the island's employees' dentist office, eyes scanning over the primarily empty area. A few others sat, spaced out away from each other, eyes glued to phones or provided magazines. Tapping his foot impatiently, he checked his phone and sighed. It had been forever since Zach had gone into his wisdom teeth procedure, and he was growing bored. If he could have, he would have let Zach go by himself, but the boy had been nervous about the procedure. Not to mention he would most likely be out of it for a while after. A smile graced his lips when he pictured Zach acting like those people from the videos he'd seen on TV.

 

He heard a door open, and a woman called out his name. “Mr. Grady, you can come back now.”

 

He looked up and saw a worker standing beside the door that led to the dentistry rooms. Standing, he pocketed his phone and began to follow the woman down a relatively short hallway. The woman stopped and held out an arm for him to enter a room where Zach sat in a dentist's chair. His eyes were half-shut, and he was gazing at the ceiling.

 

“Ah, Mr. Grady!” A man stepped out from placing something in the a cabinet. He stepped forward to shake Owen's hand. “I'm Dr. Nebster.”

 

Owen returned the handshake, eyes glancing curiously at Zach. “Good to meet you. How was...?”

 

“Everything went smoothly,” the man answered. “We've removed his wisdom teeth, but he'll be really out of his element for a while. The drip will wear off eventually. I printed off some basic care instructions that should help for the next few days, as well as a prescription for pain meds.” He reached over and plucked two pieces of paper from the countertop to hand to Owen. 

 

“Thank you. Can he walk?” He gestured to Zach, who seemed to be smiling at his hand.

 

Dr. Nebster looked behind him and gave an experienced smile. “It may be a while before he can stand on his own. We have a wheelchair-”

 

“-No problem.” Owen smirked a little. “I got him.”

 

He pocketed the two pieces of paper and stepped over to the dentist chair, drawing Zach's attention. 

 

“Hey, Zach. How ya feeling?” He knelt down and studied Zach's face.

 

The boy made a confused face, speaking slowly through a muffled mouth. Owen listened and tried to decipher the sentence. “How did you know where I am...?”

 

Owen smiled a little and scratched his cheek. “Okay, Zach. I'm gonna get you home, okay?”

 

Zach giggled a little. “Hooooooooome.”

 

Owen raised an eyebrow but stood up nonetheless. It would be best if he didn't tell Zach about his behavior once he regained his sense. He reached out and helped Zach out of the chair, putting one of his arms around his shoulders and hooking his own arm around his waist. So far so good.

 

 

**

 

Then it progressed.

 

“Owwweeeeeeeennnnnnn...” Zach held out his name as he rolled over on his back on the couch. “Owwwwwweeeeeeennnnn!!!” He giggled a little, and Owen entered the room with a glass of water, straw in place.

 

“I'm here,” he answered, the corners of his mouth tilting upward at how relaxed Zach was being. “You need to drink this.” He helped Zach sit up and held the glass up.

 

Zach gazed past the beverage into Owen's eyes, the glazed look still there. “You...” He said serenely. “Are soooooo hot.” He giggled to himself and poked at Owen's cheek.

 

“Okay,” Owen laughed a little. “Drink.” He held the drink closer.

 

“But you're sooooooo cute.” He beamed and began pressing Owen's cheeks in with his palms. “It's distracting. You're a distracting....distraction.” He laughed at his 'joke' and swatted at the straw in the glass Owen held.

 

It was like trying to get a child to eat vegetables.

 

“Zack, please drink this. The dentist said you had to, okay?”

 

“No...” Zach looked away. “Let's sleep.” He rolled over and burrowed into the couch like a gopher.

 

“Zach!” Owen placed the glass on the coffee table and pulled at Zach's shoulder until he rolled over with a whine. 

 

“I don't wanna!” Zach pouted.

 

Owen sighed and scratched his scruff. He was gonna have to take a different route here. “Hey, Zach...” He leaned down to whisper into his ear. “If you drink some of this water, we can go cuddle up and sleep all you want. Deal?”

 

“Heh, heh. Or no deal.”

 

“Zach.”

 

The boy reached up and rubbed a finger against Owen's scruff, giggling. “It tickles.” He gasped. “You're like porcupine!” He seemed to find that incredibly hilarious. When the giggles subsided, he reached out for Owen. “Come heeeeere...” He sang. 

 

Owen backed up. “Not until you drink this water.”

 

“Nooo!” Zach whined again and crossed his arms. “I'm not thirsty!” 

 

“Then I guess no cuddles for you.” 

 

Zach let out a long whine/groan and flailed a little. “Fine!” He grasped Owen's wrist and clumsily pulled the glass closer. His mouth fumbled around the straw, missing multiple times before he finally got it in and sucked down some of the water. It took a few moments, but he finally got down half a glass before pulling away, making a face. “Meh.” He stuck his tongue out.

 

Owen placed the glass down and rose to his full height. “Still want to sleep?”

 

“Mmmhmmmmm...” Zach yawned, gauze still poking from the corner of his mouth. He tried to stand, but he collapsed back on the couch with a whine.

 

Owen chuckled and reached down to scoop up the younger boy in his arms with ease.

 

“Woooooo!” Zach cheered, stretching his arms above his head. Owen let out a small laugh and walked to the bedroom, Zach held up in his arms. “I'm really loving this pain medication.”

 

He looked down and then shook his head. Zach was snoozing comfortably against his chest. He made it to the small bedroom and gently placed Zach on the bed. He stood for a moment in thought. Either he could go and finish up some reports he had to file for Claire, or he could crawl in the bed and take a nap with Zach. Work vs. boyfriend...

 

Claire Dearing would not be receiving her reports on time.


	15. The Video

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I can't post a long chapter for my other works tonight. Super busy with papers. But here's a cute little drabble someone suggested! Also, I just won an auction for a wardrobe relic dog tag with a piece of the motorcycle-fixing shirt Chris wore in the movie, so technically I own Owen Grady's clothes. BOW DOWN TO ME

Zach relaxed on the couch in Owen's bungalow and scrolled through some of the pictures on his phone, smiling when he found one of him and Owen that he himself had been forced into being in. They were up on the catwalk over the raptor paddock, and Owen had gotten the girls to look up when he snapped a picture of he and Zach. Their mouths were opened in a comical-smile way, but Zach was grimacing at the appearance of a camera. Owen was beaming like the goofball he secretly was.

 

Realizing he hadn't received the pictures of Blue's new 'trick' yet, he put down his phone and looked over to the end table where Owen's phone lay charging. He grabbed it, typed in the password, and went into his photos to search for the pictures. Upon his search, he came across a video with the thumbnail being an image of his face, grinning. Raising an eyebrow, he selected it and began to watch.

 

“You're wings...are...blue!” The dazed video version of himself was saying. “When'd you get those?”

 

He heard Owen's chuckle.

 

“Where are you, Zach?”

 

“Mmmmmmmm...home.” He nodded assuringly to himself. “Home...” He muttered something about being 'on the range' before reaching out of the camera's field of vision. Maniacal giggles escaped his lips. “God, you're forehead...is huuuuuuge.”

 

Zach continued to watch in horror as the loopiness escalated to singing about big foreheads. What in the actual fuck?!?! It was obviously post his wisdom teeth removal surgery, but Owen had promised him he hadn't acted crazy! He'd thought he had just slept afterward! Most of all, he'd made Owen promise not to video anything that might have possibly happened. Standing up, he paused the video and walked outside onto the porch with a strange look on his face.

 

Owen was busy tampering more with his motorcycle, and he glanced up when he heard the screen door slam. “Hey, babe. You're up early.” He went back to working on his bike after flashing a dimpled smile to Zach.

 

Zach stepped to the bottom of the stairs and turned the volume all the way up, pressing play. The sound of his laughing and singing filled the present silence, and the clanking of tools against metal stopped. Owen's back straightened, and he turned sheepishly. “Oh.”

 

“Oh?!” His voice came out like a shriek, and Owen winced. “I specifically told you NOT to record me! You promised! And you told me all I did was sleep!” His arms were waving wildly, and Owen worried about his phone.

 

“I didn't want to tell you because you would be embarrassed, okay?” He smiled. “And I kept the video because it was cute!” He began to stand, wiping his oily hands on a rag he pulled from his back pocket.

 

“It's embarrassing!” Zach protested. “And I'm deleting it!” He began to start the process, and Owen shrugged.

 

“Won't matter. I've got it saved on two separate flashdrives. For safety.” He flashed a quick smirk, and Zach narrowed his eyes.

 

“You didn't.”

 

“Did.”

 

“Owen SHELDON Grady...” He stepped off the steps threateningly, and Owen began to back up.

 

“Whoa! Calm down! I won't show anybody!”

 

“Of course not. Not if I get to you first.”

 

Owen suddenly dodged past Zach and bounded up the stairs, disappearing into the bungalow. Zach glared and took off after him, following the sound of bounding footsteps. He ran through the tiny den and finally cornered Owen in the bedroom, met with hands raised protectively. 

 

“Hey, stand down!” Owen commanded, eyes wary.

 

“I'm not a fucking raptor!” Zach sputtered.

 

“Yeah, well you're probably as dangerous as one.” Owen offered a smile. But flattery wasn't helping at all.

 

“Owen. You are going to delete the videos.”

 

“Says who?”

 

“Says the person who's going to rip your balls off if you don't.”

 

Owen narrowed his eyes. “Okay. How about a wager?”

 

It was Zach's turn to narrow his eyes.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Owen cautiously walked forward and leaned down to whisper into Zach's ear. After a moment, he pulled up, leaving Zach's blushing face gaping at him. He knew he had him caught now.

 

“What do you say, Zach? Game on?”

 

Zach closed his mouth and slowly advanced on Owen.

 

**

 

**

 

Owen rolled above Zach and nipped playfully at his neck, chuckling at the yelp he was met with. The rumble from his chest shook the younger boy's body slightly. “I guess I keep the videos then,” he purred into Zach's ear.

 

Zach took notice of the large body that was once again on top of him, and he shuddered when Owen's lips pressed against his neck. “I...think I'll be mad about this later. But don't stop.” A slight whimper escaped his lips when Owen's scruff grazed against the underside of his jaw.

 

“You're too easy, Zach.” The voice was teasing in his ear, and the after-effects of intercourse kept him from wanting to slap the back of Owen's head for that.

 

“Whatever,” he mumbled in his blissful state. “Just lay here and cuddle me.”

 

His demand was met with open arms (figuratively and literally), and he soon was nuzzling away in the crook of Owen's neck, breathing in the familiar scent. “Still an asshole,” he yawned.

 

“An asshole that loves you,” Owen chuckled, tightening his embrace.

 

Zach hummed pleasantly. “I guess I can love that asshole back.”

 

“You better. It'd be a shame to let any other employees see that video.”

 

The room was soon met with the sound of a palm whacking the back of a cranium, followed by a whiny “OW!” Even bliss couldn't last forever.


	16. Falling for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of rain fluff basically. Or a little, depending on how you look at it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So at the moment I'm trying to figure out how to wrap up No One Said This Would Be Easy. I feel like I've thrown in the angst good enough, and I don't know how to add more without being repetitive, so logic is telling me to end it. While I'm getting my thoughts together, here's a short little thing I thought would be cute. Special virtual hug if you get the Green Day reference! ;)

It was a late April day on Island Nublar, and a steady (and extremely rare) rain was falling down, quenching the thirst of the parched plants that covered the land. Zach walked from room to room through the bungalow he shared with Owen, eyes glancing around in search of the island's raptor trainer. “Owen?” He called out, peeking into the den. Still no Owen. He wanted to know if he'd want to possibly watch a movie, but the man was nowhere to be found.

 

He walked by the rain-splattered window and paused to peer through the glass into the yard outside. His eyebrows furrowed, and he shook his head before crossing to the screen door and opening it up. He stepped under the small awning Owen had recently built, watching as his boyfriend stood in the yard, gazing up at the gray clouds like they were painted pink.

 

“What the hell are you doing?” He called out over the sound of the falling rain. 

 

Owen turned at the sound of his voice, and a smile split his face. The rain had plastered his short hair to his head, and it would have seemed goofy if his shirt wasn't also plastered to his body. “It's raining!” He exclaimed.

 

Zach gave an amused smirk. “I can tell!” He had to continue shouting to keep his voice heard. “And you're standing out here because...?”

 

Owen just shrugged and cast his eyes to the sky. “I love the rain!” He held his arms out, palm upward.

 

“You're gonna get sick!” Zach protested. And he was NOT going to be stuck taking care of a whiny, sniffly Owen. He'd been through that once before, and he definitely would not want a repeat of that situation. All the man had wanted to do was complain about everything there was to complain about. And then he kept wanting to cuddle, but he had to blow his nose every five seconds, so that wasn't enjoyable at all.

 

Owen suddenly gave an odd smile, alongside a wicked glint in his eyes. He stepped up the porch as if returning inside, but once he reached Zach he paused and began to pull on Zach's arm. “Come on, Zach. Loosen up!”

 

Zach tried to hold his ground and tugged on his arm. “Owen! No! I'm not getting wet for no reason!”

 

“Ugh, you're so uptight! Worse than your aunt sometimes...”

 

Zach frowned, and an indignant expression covered his face. “Am not!”

 

“Then come on!” Owen began to pull harder, and his strength far surpassed Zach's. 

 

“Stop!” Zach cried as he was pulled into the pouring rain. It was literally coming down like an armageddon flame out there. Owen gave his dorky laugh and grasped Zach by the hips to lift him up higher, stepping down the stairs as he did so.

 

The rain soon soaked Zach to the bone, and even though it was warm, it soon began to cool off. It ran down his face in small and large droplets, his hair sticking to his forehead. “I hate you!” He whined pitifully, but Owen's wide smile revealed he'd taken no offense to the statement.

 

“No, you don't!” He sang, swinging him around in a circle, water flinging everywhere. The man was a child. 

 

Without warning, Owen's foot slid on the slick grass, and he collapsed to the ground, Zach falling on top of his chest with one arm on his gut. The air whooshed from his lungs for a moment, and Zach froze in shock before a wide smile split his face. “You...idiot,” he laughed.

 

Owen let out a hearty belly-laugh, staring up at Zach. “Well would you look at that?”

 

“Don't even think about saying it.”

 

“Looks like...”

 

“Nope.”

 

“I swept you right off your feet.”

 

“God.”

 

Zach hid his grinning face in Owen's chest for a moment, but it felt as if he were going to drown from the rain, so he leaned back up and looked down at Owen. Owen's eyes were green, twinkling, and crinkled at the edges. A comical grin continued to grace his face, but it faded into a more relaxed smile. Zach felt a warm hand cup his cheek, and he leaned into the warmth naturally.

 

Owen smiled a little wider at the subtle display of affection. The rain continued to fall around them, but Zach was blocking the majority of it with his back, and neither of them seemed too bothered at the moment. Zach was sure Owen was on the verge of cracking more cheesy jokes, but the man stayed silent.

 

And then they kissed.

 

Softly at first, lips tentative and hands unsure. The longer they stayed connected, the stronger it became. Zach cupped Owen's cheeks in his palms, stroking the prickly scruff that he loved so much. Owen's hands slipped down his back and to his waist, and the man let out a tiny grunt that sent shivers up Zach's spine. The rain was definitely forgotten by now.

 

“Mm.” Owen broked away softly and pressed a kiss against Zach's jaw, the hum resonating from his chest. “I love you.”

 

Zach grinned. The big doofus. Playing around in the rain, falling, cracking dumb jokes... But he was still as lovable as ever. He was HIS big doofus. “I love you, too. Even if we're covered in mud now.”

 

The wicked glint from before was back now. “Guess we should get inside and clean up,” Owen purred.

 

Zach tried not to show just how exciting that sounded, but he was laying atop Owen, so that proved a little hard. If the man noticed, he said nothing, but Zach could have sworn he heard a snort of “Knew it” when he looked away. He probably planned to “slip” for that moment. Looking back at Owen, he felt that irresistible urge to pinch his dimples. Curbing his desires, he returned the smile. “Guess we should...”

 

Owen grinned and suddenly stood up, cradling Zach easily in his arms. “I definitely love the rain,” he said before bounding up the stairs to the bungalow.

 

Zach felt that he was definitely right.

 

Owen had totally planned that “fall”.


	17. Zach on a Hot Steel Catwalk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I've just been in a one-shot mood this week, guys. Plus I realized I'd forgotten to write this from a while back. If you understand what I'm trying to do with the title of this one, good job! I spend like ten minutes each time trying to think of chapter names, but they're either too vague, too simple, or too cheesy. You would think writing it would be the hard part!

The sun beat down relentlessly on the people of Isla Nublar. Tourists panted as they flocked in groups from one attraction to the next, led by children begging for ice cream from the sidewalk vendors or lemonade in the brontasaurus-shaped bottles. The majority of the island's visitors at this time of year came from the relatively closer states of the US. California. Texas. Nevada. The southwest primarily. All of them had experienced heat like this before, so it didn't seem to bother them. There did, however, happen to be one young person from Wisconsin who was experiencing a lot of...discomfort.

 

Zach Mitchell trailed slowly after his boyfriend up the stairs that were nestled against one corner of the raptor enclosure. Sweat ran down his back (gross...), and he swallowed, hoping to cure the dryness of his throat. He barely listened as Owen rambled on about the girls' progression in their daily training, and the sun felt strangely more blinding than usual. Squinting, he followed after Owen once they reached the top of the hot staircase, strolling along the walkway that kept them high above the heads of four chittering velociraptors.

 

“Hey, what's wrong, girls?” Owen asked over the railing towards the middle of the catwalk. All four raptors had their heads tilted, small chittering still being made. His brow furrowed for a moment, and Zach wiped the sweat from his face, stepping forward to grasp the railing. He looked down at the girls and watched as their eyes focused on the new face. It never failed to surprise him at the amount of intelligence in their eyes. Feeling a little dizzy (probably from staring over the edge), he stepped back with his hands in his pockets.

 

Owen reached for something at his chest, but he apparently missed. Fumbling for a moment, he looked down. “Oh, damn. Forgot the clicker in my office.” He turned to Zach. “Let me go grab it, and I'll be back in a second.”

 

“Okay.” Zach felt like he was hearing his voice with new ears. It sounded a little muffled, dulled down by a high-pitched ringing. What the hell was that sound? Owen hurried from the platform, and he was left alone to bake in the hot sun. He placed his hands on the opposite side of the railing, but it burned, so he stood, shielding his eyes from the sun. Was it always this hot on the island? A sudden bout of vertigo hit the area in between his eyes, and he leaned over with a whimper, trying to keep as steady as possible. His ears vaguely heard the sound of what appeared to be distressed raptors. The girls...

 

Zach remembered where he was standing and attempted to straighten up, clenching his jaw. The back of his head throbbed with the motion, and black spots swam in front of his vision. The sun was everywhere. Bright, white light that destroyed any other sense of his present standings. The heat flooded his bones, and his chest felt...empty. Sun. Everywhere. Heat. He was so...

 

Because it was the raptor enclosure employees' days off, no human was there to see Zach Mitchell collapse on the metal platform that extended across the paddock.

 

***

 

Owen exited his office with his trusty clicker draped around his neck on a long black cord. He let out a small whistle as he strolled across the gravel to the main enclosure, his strides long. Zach had seemed a little bored lately (mostly his own fault for not being home more often), so he'd figured taking him for a one-on-one tour of the raptor paddock might boost his interest a bit. Not to mention he might be able to show off...just a little... Above the sound of the rocks crunching under his boots, his ears picked up the worried chirps of his girls. This was their distressed sound, and it was steadily becoming an “alert” sound.

 

It dawned on him that Zach was still on the catwalk, and he began to jog quickly the remaining distance to the paddock, bounding up the steps in six easy strides. The girls' calls were stressed and worried, and his heart gave a small thump when he thought of the possibilities. Had one of them gotten too ill? He'd been worried about Charlie lately... And...Oh God...Zach couldn't have fallen! He cleared the top and froze when he saw the body of his lover crumpled against the hot metal tiles that made up the catwalk.

 

“Zach?!” He rushed over and knelt down, ignoring the girls' growls of disapproval. “Zach! Are you okay? Zach?” He rolled him over, the boy's head wobbly and weak. His eyes were shut, but a quick listen proved him to be alive and breathing. Thank God. The boy's skin was flushed, and his breaths came quickly. He placed the back of his hand to his forehead and swore. Heat exhaustion. How could he not have seen that he wasn't feeling well? Owen began to berate himself at his own ignorance as he scooped Zach up into his arms, lifting him with ease. He needed to get him someplace cool, so he carefully made his way down the steps and strode as quickly as he could to his office.

 

The air conditioner (luckily) was on full blast, and he felt glad that he'd moved in a small sofa in the previous month for those days where he ended up staying all night. He carefully spread his boyfriend out on the couch and rushed into the small bathroom to wet some paper towels, teeth gritting anxiously. His navy training had taught him enough basic medical skills to know what to do in this situation.

 

After he returned to the main room, he crouched beside the couch. Step 1: Get into air conditioned room. Check. Step 2: Remove any unnecessary clothing. Owen placed the wet paper towels on Zach's legs and carefully stripped off the boy's shirt, placing it on the floor. Next he moved the towels to remove his shoes and pants. He could imagine Zach protesting against the apparel removal, and honestly he'd rather have him conscious. He wouldn't feel as if he were waiting for something. He knew it was just heat exhaustion, but he couldn't help but have his stomach twist into knots upon seeing Zach unconscious before him. Not to mention it was his fault.

 

Once his major clothes were removed, Owen got the paper towels and began patting the boy down, leaving his skin covered in a thin layer of cold water. He left one stretched over his forehead when he went into his mini fridge to bring back a bottle of frigid water. Feeling more worried now that Zach still wasn't waking up, he got a little of the water in the bottle cap and spread it out along Zach's parted lips, repeating the same word over and over in his mind. Please.

 

After several repeated attempts at swiping water along the boy's lips, Zach's eyes began to flutter. 

 

Owen gasped slightly and leaned over him. “Zach!” A wave of relief washed over him.

 

A little whimper escaped him, but his eyes opened enough to focus on Owen. “Wha...” His voice was dry and cracked, and Owen held out the water to him. Zach saw it and reached to grasp it weakly. Together, they tipped some of it slowly down his throat until he'd had enough to talk correctly. Swallowing a few more times, Zach frowned up at Owen. “What happened?” The last thing he remembered was...looking at the raptors?

 

Owen carefully cradled his face in his palm. “You passed out from heat exhaustion. Why didn't you tell me you felt hot?”

 

“I thought it was supposed to be hot...” Zach looked down. “I'm not gonna complain over...every little thing.” He swallowed hard and reached for the water. Now that he'd regained some of his strength, he could drink it himself.

 

Owen frowned back. “Zach, I don't care if it's just a sniffle. You can tell me.” His gaze shifted. “You scared me. When I saw you up there...passed out.”

 

Zach felt his heart twist up. “I'm sorry, Owen.” He reached out and felt around for the larger man's hand until their fingers were intertwined. “I thought it was normal to feel that hot. I'm from Madison, remember?” He offered a tiny smile, and Owen squeezed his hand in response.

 

“Just promise me you'll keep water on you from now on?” Owen gazed down, eyes still full of worry. 

 

Zach didn't really feel like keeping up with water bottles, but Owen looked so...stressed out. So he's nodded. “I promise.”

 

Owen smiled softly and leaned over to press one long kiss against his lips. He pulled away looking slightly more relieved. “Good. We need to stay inside for a little while until I can get you to the bungalow for a cold shower. And I've got two more bottles of water here.” He tapped the one Zach held. “Go ahead and finish this before you get too dehydrated.”

 

Zach smiled just a bit, though his head still throbbed. “Sure thing, Mom,” he joked.

 

Owen started to reply before he realized it was just a tease, so he smiled and went to go retrieve another bottle. As he crouched down in front of the fridge, he heard a little, “Um...”

 

“What is it?” He asked.

 

“Why don't I have clothes on?”

 

Owen just grinned. “Knew it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the thing, my minions. Smut has been requested, and I'm totally up for writing some. The problem is, it may not be very good, and I need to know if the overall group would mind. So, what do you think? To smut or not to smut? And if so, could you please suggest a scenario for it? And tone? Like slow and hazy or rough and wild or playful and teasing? This is so awkward... xD


	18. Cute, Huh?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut. Just...smut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here it is. I tried, guys! Also tomorrow is my free day, so this is me signing off until Saturday!
> 
>  
> 
> And...so my Owen Grady wardrobe relic thing came in today. I OFFICIALLY OWN A PIECE OF OWEN GRADY'S SHIRT!!! And a neat raptor sticker :D

Zach shivered in the evening air as he and Owen pulled in the yard of the bungalow on the motorcycle. His hair was messed up from the wind blowing through it, and he regretted not wearing his favorite hoodie, but it was date night, and he was determined not to dress the part of a teenager barely out of high school. Owen slowed to a stop in front of the wooden steps of the porch, bracing them out with one foot. Zach swung a leg over and stumbled off, chillbumps arising on his skin once the warmth of Owen's back was gone.

 

The roar of the bike was cut off, and Owen kicked the stand out to climb off himself. He took a look at Zach's hair and chuckled heartily. 

 

Zach frowned. “S'not funny,” and began running his hands through his ruined hair. So much for looking nice...

 

“It's kind of funny,” Owen smirked. “But it's cute.”

 

That brought out a blush in Zach's cheeks, and he was glad the light on Owen's porch had burnt out a few days ago. The smirk was still planted on Owen's face, so he stepped up on the tips of his toes and used both hands to create a sort of “mad scientist” look with the soft, reddish-brown hair. Stepping back down, he giggled (he most certainly did not, ahem) at his handiwork. Patches stuck this way and that, and one even stuck out straight on the side of his head.

 

Owen raised an eyebrow. “Funny enough?”

 

Zach nodded with a laugh. “Don't worry. It's still cute.”

 

He laughed a little more at the crazier than usual look until he became aware that Owen was stepping closer to him. His body heat could be felt strongly, and his familiar scent swam in his senses. The laughing subsided altogether when both hands cupped his waist firmly, keeping him secure. They were so warm...

 

“Cute?” Owen inquired.

 

Zach swallowed. “Yeah.”

 

Owen gave an odd smile and ran one hand through his hair to flatten in back down. Tilting his head, he raised an eyebrow again. “And now?”

 

Zach tried to keep his gaze in the dim lighting. “Very...”

 

Owen cracked a sexy smile. “Come on...”

 

“Ugh, fine. Hot. Very hot.” He crossed his arms, defeated.

 

Owen chuckled, but then he brought his face down to give Zach a peck on the lips, too short to be a full kiss. And Zach yearned for more.

 

“Owen...” He complained softly.

 

“What?” That damned lopsided smile was back and brighter than ever. “Want more?”

 

Zach nodded, lips still stuck in a slight pout.

 

Owen's eyes gleamed in the moonlight when he leaned down once more to crush his lips against Zach's, yanking his body against his own until they were molded together, each fighting for a stance in the sudden tango. Owen's hot breath flooded his mouth, somehow still managing to taste of his favorite cinnamon gum (even though he knew he hadn't had any yet), and his scruff tickled his skin in all the right places. A low whimper resonated in the air between the two, and the owner began to blush deeply.

 

“You can always have more, you know,” Owen muttered against his lips, forehead pressed against his own.

 

Zach released a shaky sigh. “I...” This internal turmoil had been going on for weeks. Was he ready? Could he handle something this massive (no sexual reference intended) so soon in the serious relationship? What if he wasn't comfortable enough to share his body in that way? And so it tore him to pieces to have something so perfect so close, only to never be able to experience it fully. What was that saying about wine and roses again...?

 

“It's okay if you still aren't ready,” Owen was saying. “I'll understand. I just want you to know that I think you're worth waiting for.” The lips brushing his tugged up into a gentle smile. 

 

Zach's stomach twisted hard. Owen was so perfect. Understanding. Why couldn't he bring himself to go one step further? It made no sense. If Owen really felt that way, then why would he feel like he was taking a risk by shedding his clothes in front of him? Maybe it was time for a change.

 

“I'm ready, Owen.”

 

Those three words hung in the air for not two seconds before he felt strong arms encircling him further, lifting him into the air. The surprise was sudden, but he got the message through the lips he found on his own, and he wrapped his long legs around Owen, loving the way the man's large body hummed in between them. Like a perfect engine.

 

Ascending the steps and crossing through the bungalow weren't present in Zach's mind. Nothing from after he dissolved into the kiss up until he found himself being spread out on the bed, at least. And what a beautiful sight it was to be staring up, wide-eyed, at the most attractive man in all of Isla Nublar. Anticipation quivered through him, and he kicked off his shoes quickly, hearing the thunks as they hit the floor. And nervousness.

 

Owen shrugged off his light jacket and crossed his arms down to grasp the hem of his t-shirt, pulling it swiftly over his head and dropping it to the floor. His muscles rippled ominously in the lamplight, tanned, corded, thick skin that seemed barely able to contain the machine underneath. Each hardened facet gleamed, and Zach shivered hard. The man was so powerful and yet so gentle with him.

 

Zach watched as Owen unbuckled his belt before he realized he was being watched. Owen's green eyes ran up and down his (oh yeah) fully clothed body, and he gave little start. “Oh.” His trembling hands reached to pull his shirt off, but Owen held out a hand. “Uh uh. Stop.”

 

That raptor alpha voice sent chills down his spine, but his hands paused nonetheless. “What...?” He asked softly.

 

Owen just smiled. “I get to be the one to do that.” There was a quick gleam of white teeth before he went back to removing his pants. Zach poked his head up and felt his mouth fall open when he finally saw something heavy fall against the loose cloth of Owen's boxer-briefs. Owen wasn't joking when he'd made all those sex jokes...

 

Leaving his underwear on (disappointingly), Owen stalked forward until he reached the side of the bed. He leaned down and grasped Zach's angles, quickly yanking him forward until he stood directly in between his legs. 

 

“My favorite part,” he chuckled low in his throat, voice husky. “Unwrapping the presents.”

 

Normally, Zach would have rolled his eyes, but at the moment Owen's skilled hands were creeping under the hem of his shirt, tickling the smooth skin. He couldn't even giggle. The fingers pinched his shirt and slipped it off in one motion. Instantly, Owen's eyes were glued to the torso in front of him, pale but savory. He hummed in his chest and expertly unbuttoned Zach's jeans, yanking them off in two moves.

 

Zach was surely blushing by now, but his mind still resided on the moment to come (again, no sexual reference intended). Owen took care of the moment by leaned down, hovering lightly above Zach with no intention of crushing him. His lips ghosted against the smooth skin of his neck, and he cringed sensitively when the stubble found his sweet spot, a little, “Oh!” escaping his full lips. 

 

“I believe it's O-WEN,” was the muffled reply in his neck, and he couldn't help but smile slightly. Still as douchey as ever.

 

Strong hands slid over his abdomen to trail along his chest, and Owen pressed closer. Something heavy fell against his throbbing erection, and he gasped, grinding upward like a horny schoolboy. 

 

Owen hissed through his teeth and lifted back up into push-up position, much to Zach's chagrin. “Whoa there, Zach,” he chuckled. “We're not on the clock here.”

 

Something tiny broke inside of Zach. Why could he just have it already?!?!

 

Owen must have read his expression, because he soon kissed him warmly, one hand cupping his cheek to gather better hold of the situation. “Relax, baby,” he soothed him. “All in good time.”

 

Owen was so good at this! And he had no idea what to do. Where should he put his hands? At the moment, they lay curled into fists at his sides. He awkwardly uncurled them and reached up to press slightly against Owen's chest. Owen took this as a sign to stop and pulled away, gazing down with worry written on his face. “What is it? What's wrong?”

 

Zach shook his head. “Oh, nothing! I was...er...just...” He trailed a finger down a pec. “Feeling...”

 

“Oh,” Owen grinned. He chuckled lightly and leaned down until his breath was in Zach's ear. “Why don't you let me take care of that?”

 

Zach shivered again when Owen's hands slipped down over his hips, cradling his ass the best he could in the position. “Fuck...”

 

“In time.”

 

That hadn't originally been the idea, but... 

 

“Please.”

 

There was a slight pause in Owen's exploration when he considered the request. “And why should I?” He leaned down with his hips, grating his pulsing member against Zach's, who had already begun leaking pre-cum since the beginning of Owen's hands on his body. He was...fuck...so close.

 

“Because I...need you, Owen.” Was he doing this right? “I need you inside of me....right...fucking...now.” His exasperated tone took on a growl towards the end of the sentence, and Owen obliged his request by stripping him of his underwear (he was pretty sure he'd heard a ripping noise). 

 

Owen's voice was a growl when he spoke. 

 

“So tight, aren't you?” His large finger probed at Zach's entrance, and the other fumbled with the bedside drawer until he retrieved a bottle of lube. “Don't worry, baby. This will help.” He began to slather his exposed dick in the goopy fluid, the sight of it enough to send Zach over the edge if he lacked self-control. He also covered his fingers and began to tease at Zach's hole.

 

“Never felt this before, have you?” 

 

Zach hissed when the tip of one finger disappeared. 

 

It hurt.

 

The finger continued to enter, and Owen obviously knew what he was doing, because he didn't stop when Zach whimpered. Instead, he made a little beckoning motion, and Zach gasped with a tiny buck. Oh fuck! What the hell was that?!?! His hands lifted weakly off the mattress before collapsing back down.

 

Owen grinned wickedly. “You like that, don't you, baby? Bet you want more?”

 

Zach nodded weakly.

 

“Say it.”

 

Zach blushed, totally caught off guard. “Oh, I...er...” He swallowed. “Please, Owen. I...need more...” It sounded more like a question, but Owen ignored it in favor of adding his second finger, scissoring out and in to stretch him. He was obviously going to need it.

 

Zach groaned when Owen made that beckoning motion, and the fingers disappeared. Their absence was replaced by something bigger and warmer, and Zach released a tiny whine of desire. “Fuck...” He murmured.

 

Owen paused in his act to lean over more, green eyes staring deeply into Zach's. “Are you sure?”

 

The man had literally just had his fingers up his ass, and now he chose to ask? Either way, the genuine sweetness of it drove Zach crazy. How awesome was Owen? Biting back a desperate smile, he nodded. “Please.”

 

Owen nodded and braced himself, slowly pushing in.

 

In.

 

Ow.

 

In.

 

Ow.

 

In.

 

OW. Zach whimpered a little, and Owen paused to let him adjust to his girth. “Come on, baby. You can do this,” he encouraged.

 

Zach breathed heavily. “Go.”

 

And Owen did. In and in and in until he was buried balls deep in Zach.

 

The boy felt fuller than ever before, and Owen was obviously enjoying the situation. His eyes closed momentarily in ecstasy, and he bit his lower lip softly, like he was thinking. They lay there for a few moments to adjust completely, but Zach needed more. He was sure.

 

“I've got you, baby,” Owen smiled, and he began to slide in and out. Softly. 

 

The feeling was odd, stretched, and a little painful, but...it became something else entirely. He needed it faster.

 

“Owen!” He cried. “Please!”

 

“Fuck!” Owen bit his lip harder, thrusting again with more power behind it.

 

“Harder!”

 

On and on he thrust into Zach with more power every time until all that could be heard was the slapping sound of skin on skin mixed with both of their moans of pleasure. Zach felt an infinite high building in him. On the edge he teetered, in danger of falling off on either side.

 

Owen leaned down and sank his teeth into Zach's clavicle, slamming into him with more force than necessary, like he was proving himself. Zach gasped, bucking, and off he fell. The high built more and climaxed in a glorious explosion of colors and shapes, his physical body releasing his pent-up load everywhere.

 

Owen groaned. “Oh, fuck!” He pulled out an embarrassing haste and shot strings of white, ropey semen everywhere, mainly covering Zach's lower half. After the shakes subsided, he collapsed heavily on the younger boy, skin hot and sweaty and smelling of sex.

 

Zach's mouth remained open slightly, eyes glassy and transfixed in the post-coital bliss he was caught in. “God...” He tried to swallow, but his throat was dry.

 

Owen breathed heavily, chest rising and falling rapidly. “You're...so fucking perfect.”

 

Funny. He hadn't known a thing to do other than lay there and beg for more. But he would take the compliment and run. 

 

They remained silent, but Zach had to say something. “Owen, that was...amazing.” He should have accepted the invitation long ago. And now he could build on what he knew. Soon, he was determined to be as active as the other. Things could only get better from there.

 

“So,” Owen chuckled a little into his neck, completely exhausted.

 

“What?” Zach asked, breathless.

 

“Cute, huh?”


	19. Payback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the previous chapter. Pointless fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about last night! I took a sinus pill that knocked me the hell out. I mean...I was gone. I decided to post a part two to this as suggested, but it's nothing major. Just pointless fluff and whatnot. Thank you so much for reading, guys. I'm one kudos away from 300! *throws heart-shaped confetti/glitter into the air and dances around in it, regardless of the people who are now choking on said heart-shaped confetti/glitter* LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Zach's eyes creaked open slowly, still heavy with sleep, and he blinked to clear his vision. A ceiling swam into view, one a different color than that of his Masrani-issued hotel room. He let out a deep sigh and burrowed down deep into the source of heat at his back, eyes closing again. 

 

And then it hit him.

 

He'd had sex. With Owen. The heat at his back was coming from the chest of his boyfriend, and the weight over his waist was an arm. Not to mention the fact that he suddenly realized his legs were tangled with someone else's. He tried to steer his spinning mind back to the present, but he could feel Owen's breath hot on his ear, smell the sweat and pheromones in the air, taste the sweet taste of cinnamon on his tongue, hear the low growl as Owen bit into his collar. Every second of the night had been better than the last.

 

He gave a small start when a warm face nuzzled into his neck, a kiss being planted over his pulse.

 

“Hey there,” Owen murmured, his voice sounding slightly groggy from sleep.

 

Zach smiled. “Hey.”

 

Owen's large, warm hand crept over his waist, rubbing his belly where warmth was steadily pooling. “I'm liking this way more than I thought I would.” His arm tightened, pinning Zach against his broad chest. “Waking up to find you in my bed, I mean.” His lips pressed softly against the backside of Zach's ear.

 

Zach suppressed a shiver, biting his lip in a distraction from the whimper building in his throat. Could he ever not feel this way around the man? Owen's lips trailed downward, and his stubble began to tickle. Zach finally let out a little laugh and rolled to face the raptor trainer. “At least I don't have to keep imagining,” he told him.

 

Owen raised an eyebrow, and Zach flicked his eyes downward pointedly. The man caught on and smirked. “I do have to ask...did I live up to the expectations?”

 

Zach smiled and pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Absolutely.”

 

Owen let out a playful growl and rolled to pin Zach down against the bed. His face lingered close, a smile playing on his lips. And his eyes...his eyes. They were bright, green, and full of life. Zach could stare into them all day, always able to find new patterns swirling about in the irises. “I like it better from this angle, actually,” Owen remarked.

 

Zach cuckled, almost rolling his eyes. But, if the man wanted to continue the role of the cocky flirter...

 

“So do I,” he finally answered, trailing a finger down Owen's chest, purposely tweaking a nipple on its way down.

 

Owen closed his eyes momentarily, hip beginning to lower slightly, and Zach smiled. “But you're gonna have to wait until tonight if you want to stay that way.” He assumed they would be doing it again that night, since the man seemed to enjoy it so much the previous one. 

 

Owen's eyes flashed open with a groan. “But why?” He whined pitifully.

 

“Because,” Zach laughed. “I'm hungry. And I need to pee. And it'll stop being fun if you get what you want all the time.”

 

Owen's eyes flashed. “And what about what 'you' want?”

 

“Sorry, Grady.” He offered an apologetic smile, pushing lightly at his chest that he so desperately wanted to cuddle into.

 

Owen rolled his eyes but obliged nonetheless, clambering off so that Zach could carefully slip out from the tangled sheets. The wooden floor creaked slightly under his feet, and he realized now that damn...his body ached. Looking down, he gasped as he found bruises forming on the inner sides of his thighs. There was a dark hickey on the curve of his hip, and he wondered how many he would find when he looked in the mirror.

 

“You okay?” Owen asked curiously, head peaking up from the nest of blankets.

 

Ah, dammit. “Y-yeah,” Zach answered, attempting to walk to the bathroom. Each step was another throb, and he was surely walking like a penguin. 

 

“You sure?”

 

He didn't need to turn around to know that a shit-eating grin was on Owen's face. 

 

“Don't start, Owen,” he warned.

 

“I forgot to warn you,” Owen's voice answered in a teasing tone. “You might have some trouble walking for a while.”

 

Zach sighed, heat flooding his cheeks. Silently, he raised a middle finger and shuffled into the bathroom, closing the door on Owen's booming laughter.

 

**

 

**

 

When he opened the bathroom door, towel around his waist, Zach found a small bundle of clothes awaiting him on the ground. They were folded neatly, something he'd never seen Owen do. He took the clothes into the bathroom and inspected them with a laugh. Of course...

 

He followed the smell of breakfast into Owen's tiny kitchen and waited until the man turned around. Of course, he had to resist the urge to laugh when a confused and almost disappointed look spread over his face. “What about the vest?” Owen asked, holding a spatula up.

 

Zach looked down at the blue button-up Owen had lent him. “Was it necessary?” He teased.

 

Owen gave him a pointed look. “Er...yeah.” He said it like it was the most blatant fact in the world.

 

Zach laughed and stepped closer. “You were lucky enough to get me into this color.”

 

“You never have a problem when it's on me,” Owen pointed out, flipping a pancake.

 

“Because you're usually doing something physical,” Zach retorted smoothly. While Owen's back was turned, he pulled out the brown vest from behind his back and slipped it on with a perfect teenage eye-roll. It was all worth the perfect face Owen made when he turned around.

 

His eyes widened, his breath hitched, and his jaw dropped. It was almost comical, actually, the way a hardened velociraptor handler was freaking out after seeing his boyfriend wear his clothes.

 

“What's the matter?” Zach smiled, taking advantage of the situation. “Is the big, bad Alpha lost for words?” He placed his hands on Owen's waist, but it wasn't three seconds before it was him being pinned against the counter. Owen's face loomed over his own, eyes hungry.

 

“They ARE my clothes, Zach. I could take them back at any time.”

 

Zach froze, feeling that tingly, buzzing sensation only Owen could make him feel. It rose steadily, and he fought to regain control over his breath. There was one person who could change a situation around in the blink of an eye, and that man was Owen Grady. With his voice barely audible, he tried speaking. “What happened to your vest fetish?”

 

Owen's eyes glinted mischievously. “Oh, you'd still be wearing the vest.”

 

Zach felt weak at the knees, and he leaned into Owen for support, lips straining closer and closer until he brushed against Owen's. The smirk on the older man's face disappeared as he leaned towards Zach. His hands slipped up to cup Zach's face, and his breath blew forward. “You still hungry?”

 

Zach whimpered, hands trailing down Owen's abdominal muscles. “Hell yeah.”

 

Owen's lips grazed against his own before the man pulled back in one sudden motion, a wide grin on his face. “Great!” He exclaimed. “Pancakes are done.”

 

He ignored Zach and set about scooping breakfast onto two plates, whistling a tune as he did so. Zach still lay propped against the counter, his mouth falling open in a mirror image of what Owen had looked like upon seeing him in his vest. “But...wha...” He trailed off.

 

Owen winked and forced a plate into his hands. “Sorry, babe. Payback's a bitch.”

 

He was soooo not putting that vest back on for anything.


	20. Stolen Moments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly had no idea what to write about. It was my first case of writer's block. Basically, my inbox is ridiculously full, and some suggestions have gotten lost amid a sea of you amazing people's feedback. If you've suggested something that hasn't been written, could you please suggest it again so I can keep better track of them? Because I'd like to organize myself more before finishing up my plot stories. This chapter is pretty much just short drabble of meaningless fluff. Literally, it's just meaningless fluff.

Owen loved to watch Zach sleep.

 

Maybe it was a little bit creepy, and maybe he should have felt a twinge of guilt about smiling at the tiny snores, but he couldn't help it! The way Zach's nose would scrunch up every few moments drove him crazy, and it was always heartening to know he wasn't the only one that drooled. Some mornings he awoke earlier just for the sole purpose of sneaking a few private moments to himself, propping himself up on one elbow and tracing meaningless shapes into Zach's back. He even had a whole album of photos on his phone of Zach sleeping, titled a misleading “Raptor Paddock” just in case Zach ever decided to go through them.

 

He counted himself lucky.

 

No one else on the island could possibly know the pleasure of waking up to Zach Mitchell snuggling up against their chest. No one else could run their fingers delicately through his soft and messy hair. It was his selective area, reserved especially for him and nobody else. Because nobody else could watch the rising sun spread its rays across Zach's snoozing face, not a stress line or bag to be seen. Perection. Bliss. Owen had no other words to describe those stolen moments.

 

Sometimes, he would speak.

 

“You just don't know what you do to me,” he murmured softly into Zach's hair one morning, fingertips trailing only lightly down the boy's spine so as not to wake him. His eyes shut momentarily, a hum resonating from his throat. “I'm not who I used to be, Zach. Mostly because of you.” A small graced his lips. “You've made me softer. Happier.” And anyone that knew Owen would say the same. He used to get those names behind his back, like “hardass” or...well...primarily “hardass”. “You're just so damn perfect. It makes me crazy.” He chuckled softly. “But it's worth it. All of it.”

 

He pressed his lips softly at the base of Zach's neck, purposely chafing his patchy scruff against the boy's jaw. He felt like getting up, but not without waking his boyfriend. That was one of his favorite parts about sharing a bed, in fact. Zach would always make this tiny little sound...

 

Right on cue, Zach whimpered and rolled, nuzzling against Owen's chest with a little murmur of contentment. His eyes remained shut, and his mouth parted slightly.

 

Owen chuckled again and effortlessly slid Zach up more until he had better access at that ticklish spot to the left of where he'd kissed originally. He nuzzled his face in there, hand slipping over Zach's hip firmly. He awaited patiently for the answering giggle sure to come after that, and (on time) it came.

 

Zach's eyes fluttered open, a chocolatey-brown color that could melt the strongest of hearts with ease. They focused up on Owen's now present face, smile widening. “Good morning,” he whispered.

 

“Mmm. Morning.” Owen grinned lazily down at him, hand squeezing his hip lightly. 

 

“I'm surprised you're up this early. I thought you would have taken some more time to sleep in after this week.” Zach sat up enough to get a better talking position.

 

Owen shrugged. “There're benefits of getting up earlier. Plus...” He nudged Zach. “I've been working all week. Today's about us, and I don't want to miss it.” He flashed his award-winning smile, knowing the effect of it.

 

Zach's eyes betrayed that melting-heart feeling, growing softer until he was distracted by the hand steadily creeping up the back of his thigh. “About us, huh?” He teased.

 

“Yeah,” Owen joked back, though he refused to stop his hand's path. “I didn't mention what 'us' entitles.” 

 

Zach grinned and let Owen have his fun for a moment before shaking his head. “I think it actually entitles you making coffee while I shower. I still smell like sweat and motorcycle.”

 

“I seem to recall helping you get that way.” Owen leaned down and winked, prompting a perfect teenage eye-roll.

 

“Me too. A disappointingly short time.”

 

“You said, 'faster'. I delivered.”

 

“Yeah. You did.” Zach laughed a little, hand instantly feeling around on his neck for the hickey Owen had placed there for the world to see. No matter how many times Zach chastised him for that, he would always have the same answer.

 

“The world's gotta know belong to someone.”

 

Zach didn't know why he put up with him sometimes.

 

Owen leaned further and pressed a gentle kiss to Zach's nose, eyes relenting. “I'll make the coffee. Save some hot water.”

 

Zach smiled a wordless thank you and returned the kiss before slipping out from the messy sheets, realizing just how domestic his situation was for the first time in their relationship. Coffee? Separate showers? Morning cuddles? Bring on the cloned suburban houses and SUVs because this relationship was about as typical as it got.

 

But...not really

 

Alongside the normal things, there were: Raptor training sessions, various types of sex, jungle motorcycle rides, etc., etc. There were those exotic situations to balance out the relationship, forever there as a backup for the alternatives of sharing popcorn on the couch to old reruns of NCIS. Either way was (in all honesty) acceptable and incredible due to the material he had to work with.

 

Zach considered himself lucky, too.

 

He had one of the most overprotective and caring boyfriends in the world. One with dazzling eyes and ominous muscles, if he wanted to brag more. There were mornings where he knew that all his life, his experiences had been leading him up to these moments where he could embrace life and cherish every second. Every agonizing second of living in Madison was worth the infinite joy he felt in the life of a bungalow-dwelling, raptor trainer-dating, Isla Nublar resident.

 

And there were some things that he got to cherish all to himself. Moments, memories, ideas...

 

The secret album he kept on his phone of Owen sleeping...

 

It was best that some things remained in his personal effects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I just took another sinus pill, and I'm all like WOOOOOOOOO right now. I shouldn't be posting things xDDD


	21. Two Times Owen Distracted Zach With a Kiss, and One Time Zach Distracted Owen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm doing the dinner one tomorrow, and then I'm updating When I Come Around on Thursday. Also, I just watched the Scream finale, and (SPOILER ALERT) BI-CURIOUS FOR THE WIN!!!! Totally on Team Audrey.

The first time happened when Zach had been stressing over the predicament of telling his parents about their relationship. After a few months of working at Jurassic World, his mother began to inquire about any 'girls' he had an eye on. That was funny at first, but then Owen started feeling a little curious as to why he hadn't told his parents that he was dating him. It was hard enough to consider doing it, but when he held the phone in his hands, number halfway dialed, it was even more difficult.

 

“What do I even tell them?” He fretted, one hand waving in wild exaggeration. “Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. I'm dating a thirty-six-year-old raptor trainer. How's Gray?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Owen, I...don't know what to do.”

 

“Zach, look-”

 

“-And what if they don't even accept that I'm gay?” He groaned, cutting off Owen (who happened to appear quite calm). “What if Gray doesn't think of me the same way? I won't be able to go home ever again!” A nervous sweat had broken out on his forehead by now.

 

“Zach-”

 

“-I don't know if I can do this, Owen,” Zach interrupted a second time. “Especially not over the phone! Maybe we should just wait until they-”

 

“-Oh for the love of...” Owen grumbled out and crossed the small den in two strides to hook his hands on Zach's hips, bringing down his face to cut off the rambling boy with his lips. 

 

Zach gave a start of surprise at his words being swallowed, but the fear in his eyes quickly subsided to a contented gleam. His shoulders relaxed visibly, and a low hum escaped his throat.

 

Owen waited another moment before he slowly pulled his lips away, keeping his eyes level with Zach's. “We'll be okay,” he stated calmly. He pressed a tender kiss to Zach's nose and smiled. “Either way, I'll still be here.” 

 

Zach was strangely quiet, still musing over the lengthy kiss. Slowly, he raised the phone and looked at the four digits he'd typed in. “...I guess that part's true.”

 

“Duh.” Owen chuckled warmly. “If they don't want to accept it, then it's their own faults. Don't let them ruin what we've got.”

 

“And what we've got is...?”

Owen just gave smirk and slipped his hands up to Zach's waist, his head tilting a little. “Very, very good.”

 

Zach smiled, reassurance highlighting his aspects. “Then I guess I'd better call them.”

 

 

**

 

The second time was when Zach was fuming about all the 'crap' InGen had been pumping through the Masrani offices. He came in the bungalow with heavy footsteps, face dark and sullen in an obvious temper. Owen (having returned early from his day at the paddock) was the first to receive the full steam he was advised to blow off by a coworker.

 

For nearly five minutes, Zach stood in front of Owen, hands mimicking his words, and complained furiously about InGen's imposition on the offices. His eyes seemed to draw closer together when he was angry, and Owen had to fight hard not to smile at how cute it seemed. The only thing that kept him from that was the mention of Vic Hoskins's name. 

 

“That pig-headed son of a bitch thinks he owns the place now!” Zach ranted. “Going on about 'improving the work flow' and shit! He probably never had to work like us a day in his worthless life!”

 

As hot as it was to hear Zach bad-mouth Hoskins, Owen knew the boy's voice would start hurting him if he got any louder. He stepped slowly towards Zach. “Okay, I completely unders-”

 

“-Why can't I just throw him to the girls? If he gets to be in charge, then what other idiot runs the show?”

 

Owen sighed. “Hoskins is the biggest piece of human shit I've ever known, but maybe you sho-”

 

“-Maybe I should drug him and through him inside the T-Rex paddock!” He continued on about other possible means of eliminating Hoskins from the situation, and Owen rolled his eyes.

 

“I swear, if this becomes a regular thing...” And he stepped forward, cupping Zach's cheeks in his large palms, and planted a long, hard kiss on the boy's lips, immediately causing a halt in the ever-increasing stream of words. He almost chuckled when Zach made a little noise, and he stayed to make sure he was good before releasing him. 

 

Zach panted for a moment, eyes still wide. “I...can't tell if I'm out of...breath from ranting or...from that...”

 

Owen (glad to be off the subject of Hoskins) grinned. “I have that effect on people,” he teased.

 

Zach stared him down. “I would stop there unless you want to join Hoskins.”

 

But the storm had passed, and Owen felt sure Zach's blood pressure was low enough NOT to cause hemorrhaging.

 

**

 

With the recent improvements in the girls' behavior at the raptor facility, Owen had increased his work load. More drills. More planning. More analyzing. More everything. More, more, more, more, more. Zach knew what he was getting into when he began the relationship with Owen. The man was obviously invested in his work, willing to wake up earlier and stay later if it meant getting in one extra command for the day. However, it was rare that Owen ever brought his work home with him, so finding the man hunkered down at the kitchen table pouring over data sheets wasn't his idea of a warm welcome.

 

Nevertheless, he tolerated it.

 

Owen did take a break for dinner, and Zach expected him to be done for the night, but he went right back to studying, drawing numbers and figures here and there that made no sense to Zach whatsoever. He grew bored with waiting for Owen to come to bed, but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. It was embarrassing, but the 'little spoon' position had a great deal of benefits. Sauntering to the kitchen, he had a plan.

 

“Owen, you coming to bed?”

 

“Hm? In a while.” His green eyes didn't look up once.

 

Zach frowned. “You've been at that all night. You need sleep.”

 

Owen murmured something that sounded like, “I'm fine.” He took a pencil and scribbled something down in the margin of the paper.

 

Zach bit his lip. He hadn't wanted to do this, but a last resort was better than no resort. Stepping to Owen's chair, he placed on finger under Owen's strong chin, the stubble pricking it lightly. He tilted up Owen's face away from the paper and pressed his lips to his, throwing in as much (and yes, it was gross) passion as he could into it. His tongue swept lightly over the man's teeth.

 

It was Owen's turn to be surprised. The pencil clattered from his fingers, and Zach wandered briefly if he would get rejected in favor of blah blah blah raptor stuff. Fortunately, the trick worked, and Owen released a husky growl, hands slipping around Zach's back. He seemed appreciative of the fact that Zach had taken charge for once, since usually it was Owen that called the shots. His tongue began to answer back, but Zach pulled away.

 

He gave him an ultimatum.

 

“Okay, babe. Either you stay here in the cold, boring kitchen and work on tons of statistics and crap over stuff you'll have time for tomorrow, or...” He flashed his sexiest smile. “You can come continue this in the bedroom with me?” He raised his eyebrow.

 

And he didn't have to wait long before he was being carried bridal style through the bungalow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this dream Owen was my high school band director, and...like...wow. Let's just say that things got hot in the trumpet section..... (Sorry, I just really had to share that with people who can relate to the hotness of Chris Pratt)


	22. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I apologize for any changes I made to the original prompt. This ended up being more humorous than awkward, I feel like. I've never written anything like this that didn't contain a semblance of humor, but I tried my best! Also, in this world, the I-Rex incident never happened, and Scott Mitchell is an evil butthole that nobody likes, so I didn't invite him to dinner. And Zach isn't too concerned about confessing to him because of his buttholeness.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, just because I'm here, I need to vent. NONE of my friends find Chris Pratt attractive. Like...what?! I'm the only one that finds him hot! This is why I have you guys to express my feelings to xD In celebration of Chris Pratt's hotness, feel free to list your favorite thing about him (I really need people to discuss this with without being looked at all weird).

“Okay, how do I look?” Owen turned away from the mirror and faced Zach, arms spread wide and a nervous smile playing on his lips.

 

Zach looked up from tying his shoes and rolled his eyes again. “I already told you, you don't have to wear a collared shirt just to impress my mother.” He sounded more confident than he actually felt. Honestly, he had no idea how his mom would react, being as how they hadn't even gotten to know Owen at all. In fact, he'd just told her that he was bringing Owen to visit for Christmas since they'd become 'good friends', and Owen had no family to visit for the holidays. 

 

“I heard you the first time,” Owen answered, buttoning the first two buttons of the dark shirt, “but I want her to at least think I'm responsible.”

 

“Why wouldn't she think that?”

 

“I'm a thirty-six-year-old man who happens to work at a theme park and lives in a bungalow...and rides a motorcycle.”

 

“Okay, well...” Zach tilted his head. “You train highly-dangerous predators, you built your home yourself, and they don't have to know about the bike.” He straightened up and crossed the hotel room to Owen (he gave his mom some half-assed excuse, and even that took a full twenty minutes). Slipping his hands on the larger man's waist, his lips curved upward, and he let out a soft sigh. “My mom's going to love you. Just be you. Except don't drink all the alcohol, don't flirt with me, and don't emphasize how dangerous the girls are. Other than that, you'll do great.”

 

Owen narrowed his eyes. “You just took three of my favorite things away.”

 

“Yeah, well spending the evening with my mother is taking one of my favorite things away, too.”

 

Owen gave a lopsided smile. “And what's that?”

 

Zach just shrugged and slipped away with the brush of his hand against Owen's forearm. “I'm sure you can guess.”

 

Owen was sure of one thing. Even if Zach's mom tried kicking him out of their house, he would definitely be spending the night with him in that hotel room.

 

**

 

“Hi, Mom.”

 

“Zach!” Karen Mitchell eagerly descended the porch stoop and swept her son up into a tight hug, senseless but happy noises coming forth from her throat. “Oh, I'm so glad you finally came home! You've gotten taller, I swear! And bigger! Have you been working out?!”

 

Zach made a strangled noise. “O-kay. Air...”

 

His mother stepped back, keeping her arms on his shoulders. Zach panted while she smiled at him, but then her eyes slid over his shoulder to find the imposing figure of Owen Grady standing with his hands folded neatly (and uncharacteristically) behind his back. Her mouth parted just a bit, and she had to swallow before straightening up. “You must be the Owen I've heard about!” Her happy tone was back, but her eyes still seemed a little surprised.

 

“Mrs. Mitchell,” Owen held out his hand. “Owen Grady. Nice to meet you.” His smile seemed rather uncomfortable.

 

“Oh, it's...just Ms. Mitchell now...but you can call me Karen.” She accepted his handshake almost timidly.

 

Zach looked on, surprised, but a chilly wind shook him from his thoughts. His mother looked up as if broken from a reverie. “Oh, it's freezing out here! Please, come in!” She ushered the two of them inside the toasty house, rambling on about the mess. 

 

“I'll have dinner ready in just a little while. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable. Zach can show you around if you'd like.”

 

“Thank you, Karen,” Owen gave a charismatic smile to the woman and nudged Zach behind his back. 

 

Zach's mom smiled widely, a faint pink hue coming to her cheeks, but she disappeared before they noticed. Zach led Owen into the den, where they both shed their coats. Zach hung his over the back of the couch. “Well, I think she likes you.” He'd never seen her take to a stranger so quickly. Usually she was more reserved.

 

Owen cast a glance towards the kitchen before looking back. “I think so, too. Maybe it won't be so bad tonight.”

 

Zach nodded but noticed something amiss. Stepping close to the kitchen, he shouted, “Hey, Mom! Where's Gray?”

 

There was the sound of a pan being shifted before Karen came out from behind the closed bar, eyes a little dark. “Your father's going to drop him off soon.” Her voice was obviously less enthusiastic than earlier.

 

Zach frowned back. “I thought-”

 

“-He isn't,” she cut him off. “I made sure of that.”

 

Zach nodded. “Okay.”

 

His mom turned and went back to the kitchen. Owen looked a Zach. “What was that all about?”

 

Zach sighed. “I guess this week was my dad's week. My mom hasn't really been up to getting together as a family anymore.”

 

“I'm sorry.” Owen resisted the urge to lace his fingers through Zach's, lest his mother come back from the kitchen.

 

Zach just shook his head. “I'm sorry for Gray.” He tore his eyes away from the back of the kitchen bar to look at Owen. “Come on. I'll show you my old room.” Anything to change the subject.

 

**

 

“Zach!” Gray's voice piped up from the entryway of the house, and Zach looked up in time to see a small boy barreling into the den, nearly knocking him off his feet when he collided with him. The boy had never been one to hide his affection, that was for sure.

 

The enthusiasm made Zach laugh a little. “Hey, bro,” he greeted him, tousling his hair. “How's being an only child?”

 

“Ugh, it sucks!” Gray whined. He pulled back. “I have to do all the chores!”

 

Zach laughed before Gray turned to find Owen. “Owen?” He smiled wider. “What are you doing here?”

 

Owen laughed and high-fived the kid. “Well, I never did really finish telling you about the raptors, did I?”

 

Gray's eyes lit up with more excitement. “How big are they now?” The young boy launched into a full scale discussion about velociraptors with Owen, and Zach was glad the two got along so well. He'd worried a lot about his parents' views on his and Owen's relationship, but what about Gray's? He sat on the couch and watched in amusement while Owen fought to keep up with Gray's rapid-fire inquiries. Even though a few years had passed, Gray was still pretty much the same. So much, in fact, that Zach had to keep reminding himself that he was older now.

 

“Dinner's ready!” Zach's mom called from the kitchen.

 

Gray paused in the middle of his question and looked at Owen with a comically serious expression on his face. “We'll finish this later,” he stated before quickly making his way to the smell of food.

 

Owen looked at Zach and mimed wiping sweat off his brow, a smile spreading across his face. “I'd forgotten how much he talked,” he stated.

 

Zach laughed. “I think I learned more from him than I ever did in school.” He stood up and jerked his head. “Come on. Showtime.”

 

**

 

“So what exactly to you do at the island, Owen?” Karen asked from across the table. “Do you work with my sister Claire?”

 

Owen refrained from snorting in order to keep up his best manners. Nevertheless, his smile came off more like a smirk. “Oh, no. Not exactly. I...” his eyes flickered to Zach's. 

 

“He trains velociraptors!” Gray piped up. 

 

Karen's eyes widened, obviously remembering the first Jurassic Park. “Velociraptors? Aren't they...?”

 

“Dangerous?” He finished.

 

Karen nodded, and he remembered Zach's advice before continuing. “I've...raised them since birth, so they see me as part of the pack. The Alpha, if you will. They respect me and listen to me for the most part. They're dangerous, but...” Oh, God. He really didn't want to say this... But he needed to listen to Zach. “They're virtually domesticated.” His tongue felt gross after giving that lie. There was no way in hell his girls were domesticated! 

 

Karen nodded, seeming invested in the concept. “Their Alpha?” She asked, tilting her head.

 

Owen nodded, and Zach could sense a raptor rant coming up. “Raptors live off of pack dynamics. They have an Alpha, a Beta, a Charlie, etc., etc. Since they imprinted on me after hatching, I'm the Alpha. I'm in charge.”

 

“Oh.” A pink blush crept into her cheeks, and Zach's eyes widened, seeing the light discoloration. He began to take notice of how she was leaning over the table, and he saw that little gleam in her eyes. Oh, mother of fuck. Of all the things that could go wrong...

 

Owen seemed not to notice, as he was invested in his raptor discussion. 

 

“How is it possible to get dinosaurs to listen to you?” She asked softly.

 

Owen thought for a moment. “Well, you have to probably be imprinted for starters. When we're training, I maintain eye contact...”

 

“Uh huh.” Her eyes didn't blink.

 

“Then I speak firmly, and I make sure to praise them if they behave.”

 

“And if they don't?”

 

Zach felt himself beginning to grow red, and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Owen really wasn't making this any better for himself. 

 

“Then they don't get any treats.”

 

Karen nodded. “You must be really talented to be able to do that.”

 

Owen smiled and looked down. “I used to work with dolphins back in the Navy, but I learn by trial and error with my raptors.”

 

“Oh, the Navy...?” Her eyebrow raised.

 

Zach cleared his throat. “Dinner was...really good, Mom. But I've had a long flight, and we should be getting back to the hotel...”

 

His mother looked up, seeming startled that there was someone other than Owen in the room. “Oh, er...okay.” She looked disappointed. “I don't see why you won't just stay here. You're my son, and there's plenty of room for the both of you.” She looked at Owen for a moment.

 

Zach shook his head. He definitely wasn't going to stay the night now! “We've already paid anyways.” He felt Owen watching him curiously, but he ignored it to take his plate to the kitchen, placing it in the sink. While Owen followed, he walked to the den, making sure to get there before anyone else decided to join.

 

“What happened?” Owen asked, one eyebrow raised. “I thought we were going to tell her.”

 

Zach frowned. “My mom totally wants to screw you!” His voice was low, but it still made him cringe to say it.

 

Owen's eyes widened. “What?”

 

“She was blushing and smiling and laughing like a teenager! She likes you!” Zach groaned. “What do we do?”

 

Owen made a face. “Okay, Zach, look. Your mom obviously likes me. She loves you. We have to tell her tonight. No backing out.”

 

Zach knew he was right, but something about watching his mother try to flirt with Owen had put him off the idea entirely. A mother should never be jealous of her son because of his boyfriend. That went without saying! “I...I know we need to tell her, but...”

 

“Tell who what?” His mother's voice came from the corner, and they both snapped their heads up to see her standing against the kitchen doorway, obviously being nosy. 

 

Zach froze, his heart going into his chest. Discussing the situation was a lot easier than experiencing the situation. He tried to form words, but they seemed to get tangled in his throat. “I...”

 

Owen looked back and forth between him and his mother before stepping up, a sigh coming out from between his lips. “Okay, Karen...we have something to tell you.”

 

She narrowed her eyes. “Zach Mitchell, if you're working with velociraptors, I swear to God...”

 

“Oh, no,” Owen interrupted. “Nothing like that...” He looked at Zach (who still had the deer-in-headlights look going on). “Zach and I actually have known each other for a while now. And...I think that you of all people need to know...”

 

Zach swallowed. “And please...just let us finish.” He at least managed to choke that out.

 

Karen crossed her arms, confusion and suspicion covering her features. “What's going on?” She asked.

 

Zach bit his lip hard. “We...we're...er...” Dammit! Why couldn't he just come out and say it? His mother's eyes seemed to bore into his while she waited.

 

“Karen, your son and I are in a serious relationship. I love him, and he loves me. It's been going on for a while now, but you needed to know, so we waited until we got to see you in person before telling you.”

 

The room seemed awfully quiet. The clock on the mantle ticked over and over, and Karen stood against the corner, eyes unwavering. She seemed frozen. More seconds passed, and nothing happened.

 

“Mom...” Zach began.

 

Her eyes shifted to the floor, and she slowly shook her head. “Wait...you...”

 

Zach wrapped his arms around himself. “It's true, not a joke. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you...but I didn't know if you...if you'd still want me.” 

 

His mother's head came up until she looked at him, eyes surprisingly soft. “Oh, Zach...” He shook her head. “I'll always want you. You're my son.” She stepped across the den quickly to softly hug him. “I don't care if you don't marry a girl. None of that matters to me.” She drew back and smiled softly. “I'm...surprised. But I love you.” She took a deep breath and sighed, not looking at Owen. “I...know that there's nothing I can do to stop this, but...how much thought have you guys put into this...relationship?” 

 

“Karen,” Owen spoke up, “we've been together for a few months now. At least five. I can tell you now that I'm in love with Zach. I know that I'm older, but that doesn't change how I feel.”

 

“Same here.” Zach looked up from the floor. “Mom, this isn't just another high school dating thing. This is actually something I want. I love Owen.” The weights on his shoulders were gradually getting lighter and lighter. His mother knew, and there would be no more hiding that from her. She accepted it, or at least him.

 

“I...” she looked between the two of them. “I'd be a terrible person to not be happy for you both, and I know I'm not exactly jumping around, but I'm surprised...still.” She attempted a laugh. “This is...just...it's happening.”

 

Zach offered a half-smile. “So...”

 

She looked at Zach. “Your...father...was ten years older than me. Granted, it wasn't as much as your age difference, but...I'm no hypocrite. You'd just stay together anyways.” She nodded slowly. “You...have my blessing, if that's what you wanted. But I still wish you would have told me.” Her eyes accused Zach's. “I AM your mother.”

 

“I know.” He smiled, casting a glance to Owen. “But thanks.”

 

“Of course, baby.” She stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug. 

 

Owen stood around awkwardly, but his mom turned and looked up at him. “You seem like a good man, Owen,” she told him. “But my son is a long way from home. Keep him safe.”

 

Owen smiled and nodded. “I'd never think otherwise.”

 

Karen nodded, and both men grabbed their coats. “How do you plan on explaining this to Gray?” She asked suddenly.

 

Zach looked at Owen. “We're gonna wait until after Christmas. But...he likes Owen.”

 

Karen nodded. “I won't say anything, but it's up to you to tell him.” She walked with them to the entryway, and Owen bid her goodnight before leaving to warm the rental car up.

 

She caught Zach's arm and leaned in close. “I'm gonna say this, Zach. You had bad taste in girlfriends, but you really can pick a man.”

 

Zach blushed. “Mom!” He pulled back and saw that wicked gleam in her eyes. The spark of teenagehood that still remained with her to this day.

 

“We'll see you tomorrow,” his mother smiled.

 

“Goodnight, Mom.”

 

She hugged him quickly. “Goodnight.”

 

Zach began to walk away, and Karen stood at the doorway with her arms wrapped around herself. Never had she ever thought of this day coming. Her oldest son was a bit of a player throughout high school. But, nevertheless, he was still her son, and no matter who he ended up loving, she would make the effort to love them, too. That definitely wasn't hard with Owen. She went back inside and shut the door with a sigh.

 

Too bad all the best ones were gay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget! What is your favorite thing about Chris Pratt? Or Owen? Or Zach even? LET US CELEBRATE THE HOTNESS OF THE TWO.


	23. Confiding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach has many things he loves about Owen, but Owen may not be the one he tells about them...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BAAAAaaaaaCKKKK!!! I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry I've been MIA for the past nine or so days. I got sick for 5 days, and then I got back to school and had tons (and I do place emphasis on 'tons') of AP history/english work to do (STUPID FREAKING DIALECTICAL JOURNALS). On top of that, I'm looking to finish early this year, so my stress level is waaay up there in the clouds. I really hope you understand that I wouldn't skip posting unless vital, and I've been struggling to keep up with stuff. I can't officially make a promise to post every single night with all the crap I'm dealing with, but I swear to let you guys know if I ever need another hiatus like this (hopefully I won't need one). I might, however, have to add another (or even a third in worst case scenarios) free day for me to do homework and ACT prep and stuff, but never fear. I'm not giving up on these stories, because Zachwen is the ultimate stress reliever. Anyways, here's my 'returning to the grid' story that deals with a very cute topic recently suggested to me. Thanks for everyone giving me these suggestions and leaving feedback. You make my day(s)!!! <3

“You ready to go?”

 

Zach saw a shadow fall around him, and he looked up at Owen's voice. He couldn't help that repetitive singling sensation he felt everytime he stared upon his boyfriend. Tearing his gaze away from those absolutely fantastic eyes, he turned the water pump on that led into the girls' water trough. “Yeah, just about. You go on ahead. I have to lock up the storage room anyways.”

 

Owen gave a nod and hooked an arm around Zach's waist, leaning down to press a soft but promising kiss in his lips. He smelled of day-old cologne and not badly of sweat, and Zach felt a little dizzy from the sudden surprise. Pulling back ever-so-slightly, Owen gave a meaningful smile. “Hurry home,” he said.

 

Zach could have whimpered from the sudden loss of contact, but he refused to play the part of the love-struck idiot. So, planting a smirk on his face, he retorted, “I'll expect to find you waiting.”

 

“Bedroom?” Owen laughed softly over his shoulder as he walked away.

 

“Anywhere,” Zach smiled a little and shut off the water pump, turning to go lock up the storage room.

 

Slipping the keys from his pocket, he spun them around a finger and heard the roar of Owen's motorcycle gradually fade away into the distance. Already, he was imagining the various places he could find Owen stretched out on in the bungalow, and there was a dull hint of pink in his cheeks when he pulled the door to the storage room shut and locked it. Mainly because there had been one instance in that very room... It had been fun, but he had to admit, it would have been nicer without the scent of dead rats.

 

Deciding to visit the girls one last time before he left, he strode around to the backside of the enclosure and entered the safety cage, comfortable enough with the raptors that he would even risk entering their territory unarmed. Blue and Charlie cocked their heads at him as he entered, but they simply chuffed and strode away as if they had more interesting things to do. Delta was nowhere to be seen, but Echo was stretched out in the sun directly in front of the cage bars, eyes watching him intensely. Zach carefully shut the cage behind him and walked softly to the front of the bars, sitting down on the ground. Owen could wait a few extra minutes, and it would probably help to avoid his seeming too eager. 

 

“Hey, girl,” Zach surpressed a smile (as they took that as a sign of agression). He reached his hand out a little, and Echo snorted through her nose before getting up to shimmy over to the cage bars. She knelt back down and bumped her scaly snout against his palm, eyes closing contently. “I didn't think you'd mind me visiting for a few minutes,” he talked low, even though no one was around to hear him.

 

Echo made a contented grumbling sound that was similar to a cat's purr, and Zach continued to pet her. “Think Owen will mind me taking a few minutes to myself?” He asked her. “I think he'll be find. He can be pretty impatient, but...” He shrugged. “I guess that's cute as long as he's wanting me.” 

 

“It's hard to say the same for being so damn overprotective,” he continued with a small chuckle, able to smile now that Echo wasn't looking. “Always on my back about something. And you know how long it took for him to let me even look at you girls!”

 

Echo chuffed in what could be interpreted as agreement, and Zach smiled again, rubbing his thumb over her snout more. “Did I ever tell you how he wouldn't let me on his pier because he was afraid I would fall off and drown?”

 

 

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

 

Owen was about halfway home before he realized he'd left his phone sitting on his office desk. Frowning a little (he'd been really hoping to be waiting in the nude for Zach to come home...), he slowed and turned the bike around. He might as well go ahead and get it.

 

It was barely three minutes until he reached the paddock, and he immediately went into his office, grabbing his phone that sat perched on his desk amid a cluttered heap of paperwork that he'd been 'about to do' for the past two weeks. Zach and his aunt both would give him hell for that. Thinking about Zach, he cocked his head a little. He should have been on his way by now. Owen's boots crunched over the gravel as he round one side of the paddock, spotting Zach's jeep parked where it had been all day. No doubt, he was probably on the phone with his mother. She called every single day to make sure Owen hadn't murdered him yet.

 

As he neared the raptors' enclosure, he heard a soft voice, but he could barely make out the words. He caught his name, and (ears at attention) he crept around closer to the holding pen. Careful not to make the gravel shift too much, he grew closer and closer to the voice until he could hear it. It was Zach, and he sounded to be talking to somebody. 

 

“-just too annoying sometimes, but it's...I like it, in a way. He grates my nerves, but I wouldn't have it any other way. He actually does care what I do with my life, and he wants to help me.”

 

Owen made a confused face. Zach was talking about him, right? But he never talked to anyone this personally; at least, no one that Owen knew of. He shifted further to the front of the enclosure, the voice growing louder and clearer. 

 

“And plus, not counting the awesome personality, he's hot as hell! I guess Owen's been working out every day of his life or something, because he really knows how to keep fit.”

 

Ah hah! So he was definitely being discussed.

 

“I just...feel like maybe I'm just having a great dream sometimes. I never thought feeling this way about anyone was something in real life. But I...I feel that way every day when I'm around him. And it hurts when I'm not. He's cute, he's strong, he's funny, and even if he can act like a douchebag, it's just an act.”

 

That would have normally made Owen frown, but he really wanted to know who Zach was talking to. He finally rounded the awning that guarded the safety cage, and he froze, seeing Zach sitting on the ground with his hand stroking a dozing Echo. After the shock wore off, he shook his head. All the times he'd nagged Zach explicitly to NOT go into the safety cage without him seemed to have been in vain. There really was no telling the boy what to do. And it wasn't as if it mattered, really. All the girls had taken to Zach, especially Echo. 

 

“I'm...in love with every little bit about him,” Zach was saying. “The way he looks at me when he opens those eyes in the morning. That stupid...cute...smirk that drives me crazy. The way he always tries to make sure everything is safe before letting my hand go. The smell of his skin in my nose before I go to sleep. Even the way he rubs his beard on my neck sometimes just to tickle me. Everything's perfect.”

 

Owen slowly began to smile, though the devilish bit in him was devising a way to surprise Zach. He'd heard Zach say sweet things to him before, but this was everything. This was truly how he felt. It was like he was spilling out a diary page of emotions, and Owen should have felt guilty. He really should have. But...maybe if Zach knew Owen had heard, he would learn to be more open and less embarrassed. Far-fetched, maybe? Either way, he appeared to have stopped talking, so Owen decided to make his move.

 

“She likes to be scratched under her chin, you know.”

 

Zach jumped nearly a foot in the air before whirling around and clambering to his feet. His eyes grew wide with horror when he saw Owen standing there with his arms crossed, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Owen?!” He gasped. “Wh-what are you doing here? I was just about to leave, and-”

 

“-You didn't have to stop,” Owen smiled. “Could've kept on.”

 

Zach blushed a shade of scarlet. “How much have you heard...?”

 

“Enough to tell you totally have a serious crush on me.” He opened the front bit of the safety cage for Zach, and the boy slowly ambled out, refusing to look up. 

 

“Oh, God...” he groaned. “I said I liked the way your skin smelled...” There was a multitude of things that Zach would much rather have been embarrassed about. 

 

Owen shrugged. “I can tell. You think you're being quiet when you sniff, but I'm used to picking up on quiet sounds.”

 

“Oh, Christ!”

 

Owen laughed and threw a heavy arm around Zach's shoulders, giving the boy a tight squeeze. “Aw, come on! There's nothing to be embarrassed about. You just totally dig me, and I get that. There's nothing wrong with saying how you feel.”

 

“I was talking to a velociraptor, Owen. A velociraptor.” Zach buried his face in his hands.”

 

Owen chuckled warmly. “Oh, I've been there. So many times...”

 

Zach looked up, interest peaked. “I...did always think you had to have bonded with them outside of work.”

 

“Well, you see, each of them has a different purpose. Blue, for instance, is who I vent about InGen to.” He gestured back at the pen. “Charlie is who I talk about random shit with.” He waved his hand to nothing in general. “I talk to Delta about the other girls, but she doesn't tell them.” His lips quirked up in a smile, poking Zach in the side to provoke him to laugh.

 

They continued walking away, and Zach finally looked up. “What about Echo?”

 

“Oh,” Owen laughed. “Who do you think I talk about you with?”

 

Zach smiled softly at the image of Owen saying sweet nothings about Zach to an inattentive Echo. “Well what exactly to do say to her?”

 

Owen looked down and gave a knowing and attractive wink that made Zach blush. There was no fucking way the man discussed that with a velociraptor. “Owen...” He warned him slowly.

 

“Oh, Zach...”

 

The man smiled and looked back over his shoulder at a dozing Echo.

 

“If raptors could talk...”


	24. Control Freak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some good ole smut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the smut! Here comes the smut...! It's been a while since I've done this, so here goes nothing. Please do not read if you are offended by graphic sexual imagery. If you enjoy graphic sexual imagery, read on!

Maybe it was something in the air. 

 

Maybe it was the way Owen drank his beer. First, tipping it back towards his mouth to give off a luxurious view of his wonderfully strong neck (somewhere Zach could practically feel his teeth grazing against), then pulling away to run his tongue over his soft lips.

 

Or maybe it was watching his hands handle his tools while he fixed up his motorcycle. Strong, large, surprisingly nimble fingers that knew exactly where to twist and precisely where to pull. Every gentle caress against the machine caused Zach to shift slightly from his perch on the outside picnic table. Owen toiled away on his bike, nonchalant as to the effect his presence was having on the younger boy. Suddenly seeming curious about something, he stood and hiked one leg over the bike to lean over on the opposite side and tinker with a part Zach would have no idea about.

 

The position the man was in sparked all sorts of images in Zach's mind, and he shifted more to relieve the growing pressure in his pants. A loud creak split the air, and Owen looked over his shoulder for a moment, eyes locking on Zach.

 

Zach blushed and looked down at his locked phone, thumbs tapping away as if texting someone. He waited a moment before looking up, and when he did he nearly dropped his relatively new HTC. Owen had his shirt lifted to wipe the sweat from his brow, his bare torso exposed to the open air. The pressure in Zach's pants increased tenfold, and he instantly shifted his body to the left to accommodate. The damn table let loose another creak that caused Owen to immediately drop his shirt and stare hard.

 

Zach refused to look back up, his ears burning a dark shade of red. It wasn't fair! Why did he have to go around being completely turned on and embarrassed by his own boyfriend? If Owen was the same, he didn't show it.

 

“Alright.”

 

Owen's voice broke the silence, sounding almost amused in his tone. 

 

“Hm?” Zach dared to look up, trying to play it off curious. “Alright what?”

 

“Have you not been watching me this whole time?” Owen stepped casually over the grass leading to where Zach sat, pulling a rag from his back pocket and wiping the oil and grease from his thick fingers expertly. He quirked his eyebrow in an “I know exactly what you've been doing” way. “You must have seen something you liked.”

 

Zach felt a stirring in the pit of his stomach, and he felt a semblance of a smile gradually cross his face. “I guess I must have.”

 

“I think you should get inside.” Owen's tone was casual yet commanding, the suggestion coming off as more of an order, really. 

 

Zach shuddered involuntarily at the hidden growl in the man's voice and hopped off the picnic table to hurry up the bungalow steps, hearing heavy boots hit the ground behind him all the way. It was this part that drove him insane. In fact, it was always the waiting that killed him. The anticipation of the pleasures soon to follow. In no time at all, he was positioned in front the bed, not quite ready to lay down.

 

Owen stepped into the room with a set look in his eyes, and Zach didn't give him any time to remove his footwear before he was clinging to his shirt, lips trailing up his jawline hungrily. His hands clenched and unclenched at the soft fabric of Owen's shirt, tugging ever-so-slightly in vain effort to convey the message that 'yes, shirts need to be off...' 

 

Owen made a small move to meet the lips at his throat, but his hands clenched into fists before he held Zach back, separating the contact. He was met with a small whimper, and he struggled to keep his composure in check. “What's the rush?” He asked smoothly, the corner of his lips twitching upward. 

 

“Owen...” Zach whined again, and Owen could have sworn the boy almost stomped his foot.

 

“Ah, ah, ah...” Owen moved forward quickly, pinning Zach back against the mattress. The older Mitchell brother slowly leaned back until he was looking up at Owen. A spark lit in his eyes, sure that he was getting what he wanted.

 

Owen leaned over him, chest barely pressing down, his lips just inches away from Zach's jugular. “You know I don't like that, baby...” He moved closer, just keeping his lips from grazing the skin, but always leaving the feeling of warmth close.

 

Zach squirmed a little, thought he felt elated beyond belief. “A-Alpha...” He nearly whispered. 

 

Owen gave a dark chuckle low in his throat and rewarded Zach with a gentle kiss on the neck. “Good boy.” He hovered there for a moment in thought before straightening up. “Now take your clothes off,” he commanded.

 

Zach's hands worked quickly to remove each article of clothing, nearly tearing his shirt in his haste to obey. While Zach worked to shed his clothes, Owen took his time with his own. He watched with pleased eyes to find that he had Zach completely under his control. Maybe it was selfish, but mutual respect was for he and the raptors. Complete control was a treat he could only come close to in the bedroom, and he was determined to take advantage of every second.

 

Zach rolled face-down on the bed to present himself to his 'Alpha', yearning to please and to be pleased. The smell of arousal and sex was already beginning to fill the air. One of sweat, lust, and desire. Owen tugged off the last piece of clothing he had and discarded it in the pile growing on the floor, hands already creeping down Zach's arms until their fingers were laced together. His body enveloped the smaller boy's, demanding absolute power.

 

Zach could feel the hum of energy in the man's chest behind him, and warmth surrounded him from all sides. His nostrils swam with the man's scent of sweat, oil, and leather, senses tingling with an abundant amount of stimulation. His own body quaked with the frustration of being pinned down, and he nearly broke when Owen's rough beard scratched against his neck. 

 

The older man was trailing soft, lingering kisses down from behind his ear to his shoulderblade, not hesitating to breath out hot breath on each spot he kissed. The reward was a pleasant tingling sensation trailing down the length of his neck. Zach felt Owen's member throb against him, and he arched his back impatiently. Owen smiled against his soft skin, and Zach ground his teeth together. “Oh, fuck! You...bastard...” He moaned when Owen nipped at his ear.

 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk...” Owen chided softly. “You shouldn't be using that type of language in the bedroom, Zachary.”

 

Owen's large paw of a hand rubbed against Zach's right cheek, callouses scratching gently. 

 

“Let's see...that's one for each naughty word?”

 

He removed his hand, and Zach shivered a little at the lack of warmth. This was an unwarranted disappointment, because Owen's hand returned soon enough with driving force and a loud smack that resonated through the bungalow.

 

A shockwave of pain coursed briefly through Zach's nerves, but it was followed by an immediate release of pleasure. A low moan escaped his full lips, and he pressed back against the hand caressing the assaulted area of skin, warm and comforting.

 

Owen removed his hand, and Zach squeezed his eyes shut tightly, preparing for the assailing hand. He didn't have to wait long before he was spanked again, this time with a firmer hand than before. He squirmed with a little whimper, holding back the childlike response of covering the area and crying. He was too turned on to do more than whimper.

 

“P-Please...Alpha,” he mumbled into the bed.

 

“Hm? You want something?” Owen kissed each of his shoulderblades with surprising gentleness while his free hand searched the bedside drawer for something.

 

“Please...let me...let me...” He wiggled his hand feebly.

 

Owen caught on to what he was asking and chuckled darkly. “Oh, no, baby. You don't get to touch yourself. You're gonna cum without anyone helping you.” Owen latched onto his shoulder with his teeth gently, surely enough to leave a mark, however.

 

Zach's vision swam, and it was a miracle he didn't tip over right then and there. Owen's hand caressed his backside again. “You ready for this, baby?”

 

“Y-yeah...”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Yes, Alpha. Please...” He arched back more, and Owen pressed something much larger than a finger to his entrance.

 

“You're gonna learn to take it without me wasting time prepping you up, my little Beta...” Owen informed him. “So you might as well start learning now.”

 

Zach felt a brief flash of worry in his chest. He still had some trouble with Owen using two fingers. How was he going to handle his whole dick inside of him? However, it was too late to turn back now, and even if it wasn't, he was all too ready to blow. At the point of no return. “Please, sir...” He begged.

 

Owen grinned wickedly, the haze of sex covering his eyes. “If you say so.” And in one fluid motion, he brought his hips forward sharply, impaling Zach along the length of his erect member.

 

Zach felt the hot flash of pain, the stretch of muscles, and he heard his teeth clack together sharply, but...nothing more was there. Only the incredible feeling of being full. In that moment, he felt especially proud of himself.

 

Owen released a long groan before beginning the slow in-and-out motion that gradually grew faster and faster and faster and faster, skin slapping against skin. The haze in his eyes grew more apparent, and Zach could feel the tension behind the roughness. Owen was getting close.

 

But Zach could handle more.

 

“Harder!” He cried out, and Owen obliged.

 

Zach bucked and dribbled pre just a tad when Owen hit his prostate, spots swimming in his vision. He released a loud cry, and Owen grinned maliciously, knowing he'd found what he'd been seeking. Continuing in the same direction, Owen fucked him harder and faster against the bed. Wave after wave of bliss flooded the boy, an overload on the senses. He could feel the tension in his groin. He was ready...

 

Owen's chest pressed against his back, their sweat mingling. The man's lips found his ear. 

 

“I love you...” He gasped out roughly.

 

Zach felt those words slide over ever aspect of the moment. 'I love you.' The tingling erupted into a full-blown fire, and he cried out a string of obscenities while shooting his load against the bed, completely untouched. He rode each wave out heavily as he was being pounded from behind, and in no time at all...

 

“Oh, fuuuuuck!” Owen slammed hard one last time and pulled out, leaving Zach feeling empty. String after string of his semen roped over Zach's back, and Owen panted heavily in reflection of his masterpiece. Something about that scene would stick in his mind for a while. His seed on his boyfriend. On his Beta. It just made sense. 

 

The room grew silent apart from the heavy breathing, and Owen slowly took a sheet to clean up Zach so the boy could roll over and scoot onto the bed. Or rather, he was pulled onto the bed. He would be doing no scooting for a period of time now...

 

Zach curled up, exhausted, nestled against Owen's side with his head in the crook of his shoulder and chest. His eyes were closed, but he felt more alive than ever. Spent, but alive. His fingers trailed lazily over Owen's hard stomach, and a smile slowly broke out over his face. Leaning over, he pressed a soft kiss on Owen's scruffy cheek. “I love you, too.”

 

Owen smiled.


	25. The Question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo it's been a few days. Really sorry about that. Let's just say that classes were invented by Satan. Here's a list of my stuff to do:  
> 1\. Finish 40-entry dialectical journal on four stories  
> 2\. Finish competitive advanced science essay  
> 3\. Complete polymer powerpoint  
> 4\. Complete polymer poster  
> 5\. Present powerpoint/poster  
> 6\. 30-question vocab. test on Thursday in AP  
> 7\. Band practice Tues.  
> 8\. Band practice Wed.  
> 9\. Band parade Thurs. during day  
> 10\. Band performance Thurs. night  
> 11\. Marathon pep-rallies all day Fri.  
> 12\. Football game performance Fri. night  
> 13\. Band practice on Sat. from 8-10  
> 14\. Cry...a lot.
> 
> I won't lie. I cried last night. xD So please forgive my random, unscheduled postings. Life sucks, and it'll be like this for a while, but I'm hoping to get into my old routine eventually. Love you all!

Owen wasn't expecting the notion to act to hit him quite so hard. Honestly, planning ahead wasn't exactly on his list of priorities, as being laid back seemed to come to him more easily. 

It was probably the damn expression on Zach's face that started it all.

 

They were in the kitchen of Owen's bungalow that morning, the smell of coffee hanging in the air like a permanent cloud. It was peaceful, just another normal day on their little piece of paradise. There was nothing particularly special about the moment, not anything other people would understand, but Owen found something to hold onto. It began with a joke he cracked about...well...damn...he couldn't even remember the joke. Either way, it had Zach laughing pretty hard, and it made Owen smile to hear that peal of laughter. That's what their relationship was based on anyways. Keeping one another happy.

 

He finished pouring his coffee as Zach's laughter died out, and he turned around, catching Zach gazing at him from his perch near the window overlooking the lake. And shit...did it take his breath away.

 

Soft, full lips parted slightly in a crooked -if not contemplative- smile. Long lashes not fully hiding the warm chocolate of his eyes. His hair was mussed up from sleep, and a soft blush resided in his cheeks. Deep in his eyes, though, was a look that read, 'I could spend every second with you and be happy.' It felt as if (and Owen honestly wasn't trying to be egotistical this time) he were appreciating him for what he was.

 

“What?”

 

It had taken him a moment to realize Zach was talking to him, and he shook his head briefly, not acknowledging that he'd spent the better part of fifteen seconds staring.

 

“Nothing,” he'd answered, perhaps a little too quickly.

 

Zach gave him a quizzical look, but he didn't press further. Instead, he took tentative sips from the coffee mug in front of him, and Owen tried not to smile at the way he wrinkled his nose while growing accustomed to the bitter taste. He knew that if this wasn't every morning of his life, there was no point in living.

 

Yup. He was royally screwed.

 

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

 

That's how he came to be sweating bullets beside the boy, and it had nothing to do with the niney-eight degree weather. In all actuality, it was a rather nice day on the island compared to the low hundreds of the average weekday, not to mention there was a cool breeze blowing. His stomach twisted just a bit when he thought of all the future's possibilities. 

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Zach's voice broke him once again out of his reverie, and he felt the need to jab his hands in his pockets again. Clearing his throat, his gave Zach a soft smile. “Yeah, I'm good. Just...thinking.”

 

“That's dangerous,” Zach teased. “The last time you 'thought', you ended up in the hospital getting stitches.”

 

Owen rolled his eyes. “I didn't even need them...”

 

“Sure thing, Doctor Grady.” Zach laughed a little and bumped his shoulder against Owen's, lingering just a tad bit longer against his side.

 

If he wasn't so nervous, Owen might have paused for a minute to think about some rather inventive sexual fantasies involving him being a doctor...but there was no time. He had so many things he could say. So many ways he could say them. Places to have done it at, coordinated events to plan out. But that was Claire Dearing, not Owen Grady. 

 

He needed something raw, pure, and entirely them. Nothing too flashy to be fake, and nothing too planned to be robotic. It needed to be like their relationship. It had to be simple but meaninful. Something both of them could remember, and something that reminded them of why they were together in the first place. The small pier on his lake seemed like the perfect place for a moment such as this. It was, after all, where they kissed for the first time.

 

God, he was turning into such a sap.

 

“What were you thinking so hard about, anyway?” Asked Zach, his hand stretching over to slip into Owen's. 

 

The raptor trainer gave an odd half-smile, tongue in cheek for a minute. “Just...us. Normal life. How great everything's been going. How long we've managed to stand each other.” He poked Zach in the ribs to elicit a startled jump.

 

When he recovered, Zach swatted at the hand and leaned closer against Owen, physically pulling the man's arm around his waist. His head dropped against Owen's chest, and his voice was content when he spoke. “It really is going pretty well, isn't it?”

 

“So you're happy then?”

 

Zach looked up in a surprised way. “Duh, I'm happy! You're like...I dunno...maybe probably perfect or whatever, so...” He trailed off nonchalantly.

 

This brought a slight grin to Owen's face, and he made a motion with his eyebrows. “Uh huh? Really? I wouldn't say 'perfect', but...damn near close.”

 

Zach groaned. “Shut up.” 

 

“But you may actually be the perfect one.”

 

There was a brief moment of silence in which Owen tried to plan out how to keep the sappiness at a minimum for the answer to the sure-to-come question.

 

“And why would you say that?” Zach turned and looked up at Owen curiously, a growing smile on his face and a looming blush in his cheeks. 

 

Owen almost shrugged but decided it might ruin the moment. Instead, he slipped his hands into his pockets and looked out at the lake, fingers groping at a hard object attached to a string. He'd spent so much time thinking about how he would go about the build-up for the moment. All the things he could say. Out of all of them, however, none were as good as listing his favorite things about Zach.

 

“For starters, you're one of the four people on this damn island who understands exactly why I do what I do. Why I'm the way I am. You don't really care too much that I talk about raptors constantly. You laugh at all my jokes, and, by the way...” he smiled, “I've purposely been making them worse and worse just to see if you'd still laugh, so props for that.” He took a breath and continued on, dead set on finishing this rant. 

 

“You're always there to listen when I want to blow off steam about something, you've got that 'take-no-shit-from-anybody attitude that's an insane turn-on....” He tried to keep from doing his eyebrow dance again, straining to remain serious in the moment. “I think you're the hottest thing to ever step foot into the same room as me, and you have this short temper that makes you get all flustered, so it's pretty cute to watch.” He chuckled to himself and ignored the dark looks Zach was throwing at him. “Point is, I really, really like you. I'm...ah, dammit...I'm insanely in love with you. Every day is awesome only because you're there with me. You make my life twenty times better just by staying with me, and I want it to be that way forever.” His fingers closed around the object in his pocket.

 

“You love me, right?” He asked simply.

 

Zach was staring, blushing a dark red at the shower of compliments. “Y-yeah. A lot.”

 

Owen looked at the pier. “I know it's not traditional, but you've always hated traditions. I know we're just out in the backyard on a piece of wood, and it's last minute, so I didn't get a r...the thing I should have, but I can't wait anymore. If I don't know I have you all to myself, I'm gonna go crazy. Zach...” he turned, eyes locked onto the younger boy's.

 

“Owen...?” He began to ask, but the older man shook his head before he could form a question.

 

“I just...please...I need you to marry me.” And with those words, he held out something he'd held dear to him since the birth of the raptors. It was one of Blue's baby teeth, still sharp, but smaller than the ones she armed herself with now. It was attached to a black cord in the form of a necklace. Originally, Owen had planned on giving this to Zach as an anniversary gift (he may have been deemed a 'neanderthal' by many people, but he wasn't heartless), but the spur-of-the-moment decision had left him no options on the island. Plus, it was more sentimental than any dumb ring from some ritzy store.

 

Zach's eyes widened immediately, his mouth parting to form a solid 'O'. His chest rose and fell more rapidly, a tell-tale sign that his heart was racing. Owen watched the emotions flicker through the boy's eyes as he struggled for words. Was it a good thing that he was speechless? Owen felt his own stomach twist a bit in anticipation.

 

“You...” Zach made a face (a good one, Owen thought) and flung himself into Owen's body, arms squeezing his waist tightly while he mumbled his answer into his chest. “Yes, you sappy moron. Yes. I love you so much.” 

 

Owen felt the weight drop off his shoulders, and a large grin spread over his face. It was done. The deal was sealed. There should be no more secret longing for a more established relationship. His large hands slid over Zach's back, one still holding the raptor-tooth necklace. He had to physically restrain himself from crushing Zach into him, but damn, did he want to just hold him forever.

 

“I love you, too.” An ecstatic pulse surged through his chest, and his grin stretched even further. “We're getting married!”

 

Zach laughed into Owen's chest and pulled away, breathless. His eyes were bright with excitement, but he would deny any tears that may or may not have been here. There was that look again. That look of complete adoration that had Owen ready to take on the world. And it was all his.

 

He reached down and slipped the necklace around Zach's neck. “Blue's baby tooth,” he explained. “I thought it might be more...us.” And also, I may have not have really thought about this until today...

 

Zach gently clasped the small tooth in between his thumb and forefinger, gazing down at it with a wide smile. “This is way better than any ring.”

 

Owen laughed and stretched down to kiss Zach warmly on the lips, not rushed or forceful at all. They had all the time in the world for that now. Now was about living in the moment and appreciating every second they spent together. 

 

Zach responded happily and seemed to melt further into Owen's body, hands dropping from the large man's chest when he settled in. It was the kiss of a new day, and everything was falling into place. He could see why he loved the man so much. A raptor tooth? That was probably the first of anybody in the world. Originality, spontanaeity, romanticism...dare he add complete and udder hotness? He almost felt angry with himself for having had to pause before saying 'yes'!

 

Owen pulled back but kept his forehead pressed against Zach's, his eyes shut while he envisioned having this moment forever. With a chuckle, he finally opened up his eyes and gazed at Zach. “You're all mine now.”

 

Zach felt the giddiness rise in his body, eager to make sure he was, in fact, all Owen's. He pressed a chaste kiss to Owen's lips, running one hand down his scruffy jaw. “I think that goes both ways.”

 

Owen raised an eyebrow contemplatively. “I dunno. You might have to fight for that one.” But at this point, he would give anything a shot.

 

Yup. He was royally screwed all right.


	26. Kelli

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I already done a jealousy chapter? Oh well. If so, here's another!

“Well, don't you think you could have at least mentioned you already have a boyfriend?!” Zach's voice rose angrily in the kitchen of his and Owen's bungalow. They were in the midst of a heated (and what felt like a one-sided) argument regarding the raptor facility's latest intern. A well-educated (but too flirtatious for her own good) young girl had recently transferred to Jurassic World from the San Diego Zoo after completing required college coursework. At first, Zach had found her personality quite admirable, even considering befriending her.

 

Then she touched Owen's shoulder.

 

Zach had been standing on the gravel away from the catwalk when he heard giggling. Looking up and using a hand to block the bright sun, his mouth twisted into a rather fierce looking snarl. Kelli (the intern) was giggling hysterically at something Owen had said, touching his shoulder with one hand. The bitch had the nerve to linger! 

 

Zach muttered a string of obscenities directed at her under his breath and stomped off to Owen's office, already planning an indirect way of confronting Owen about the situation at hand.

 

It had come out rather...direct.

 

“Why are you letting the intern flirt with you?” He asked immediately after walking past the screen door of the bungalow. Owen paused on his way into the kitchen. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw the dangerous glint in Zach's eyes.

 

“Flirting?”

 

Zach ground his teeth together and followed Owen into the kitchen while the older man grabbed a chilled beer from the refrigerator. “She's practically flinging herself at you, Owen! I wouldn't be surprised if she shows up wearing a bikini top tomorrow!”

 

Owen's mouth twitched up but thought it better not to let onto his amusement. “I think the real question is...” He gave a pointed look. “Why are you so worried? Do you really think I'd fall for that?”

 

Zach glared. “No, but that's not the point.” Honestly, was Owen not going to understand what he was trying to say? “The point is, you've got a twenty-year-old chick who's flinging her hoohas at you every time you glance in her direction. And you're letting it happen.”

 

“'Hoohas'?”

 

“It isn't funny!” Zach's voice rose a few decibels, and Owen saw the seriousness in his eyes.

 

“Okay, okay,” he admitted, raising his hands. “You're right. She may have been a little clingy the past few days...”

 

“A little?” Zach scoffed.

 

Owen stared for a moment until Zach was silent before continuing. “But...I haven't been flirting back. She'll get the message eventually.”

 

“Well, don't you think you could have at least mentioned you already have a boyfriend?!”

 

Owen pinched the bridge of his nose. “Zach, look, okay? I promise that the flirting's gonna stop. Just don't freak out about it, okay?”

 

“What?” Zach sputtered. “I think I'm perfectly justified in 'freaking out' over this!”

 

“Zach! Zach...” Owen interjected and slowly ambled forward in an attempt to grasp Zach's arms. The only reason he succeeded was due to Zach's lack of forearm strength. “Zach Mitchell,” he stared into the boy's usually-warm chocolate eyes, “I'm saying this once. I'll probably end up saying it again. I. Don't. Care. About. Other. People.” He flashed a warm smile. “You're the only person I'm ever going to allow to flirt with me, okay?”

 

Zach grumbled something but nevertheless did his best to drop the subject, just so long as Owen fulfilled his promise the next day. He wasn't going to stand by if that skank touched Owen one more time.

 

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

 

Zach had kept his eyes peeled the entire morning, constantly making sure Kelli Graban was nowhere near Owen. He'd also had a talk with Owen to make sure she was nowhere near him. It had been met with a small smile but a promise nonetheless.

 

He was returning from placing a bucket of frozen rat corpses back in the supply room when he overheard Kelli's stupid, obnoxious voice. “Owen!” She was exclaiming. “You have to show me how to do that!” Overly-cheerful. And stupid. God, she grated his nerves.

 

Zach stepped around the side of the safety cage and saw Owen being cornered by the intern. He had no idea what she was talking about, but Zach saw Owen's face grow weary for a split second. Enough to make him feel better about himself, but still not enough to send him away. Either he made a move, or that chick was going to keep getting worse.

 

He set his gaze in their direction and crunched over the gravel, on the warpath. Owen's head swiveled a little at the sudden noise, and his broad shoulders relaxed a bit. Ignoring whatever Kelli was babbling about, he smiled wide. “Hey, babe!” 

 

Zach almost stopped out of shock of being called 'babe' in public. Owen crossed the distance between them and slipped his large hands around Zach's waist, pulling him close and leaning down for the kiss of a generation. The man wasted no time in slipping his tongue in Zach's mouth, and the younger boy almost made a surprised noise. However, he was too busy trying not to celebrate at Kelli's obvious shock. Her jaw was practically resting on the ground, and her eyes were wide in disbelief. Their eyes met for a split second before Zach shut his in favor of delving into the kiss. Looping his arms around Owen's neck, he finally smiled against his lips. “Hey.”

 

Owen grinned back and placed a gentle kiss on his nose before reaching down to intertwine the fingers. Turning around, he gestured to Zach. “I'm sorry, Kelli. I don't know if you heard yet, but Zach and I've been together for a while now. Have you two met yet?”

 

She shut her jaw abruptly. “I...er...y-yeah. I didn't realize...” her cheeks began to grow red.

 

“We were just about to go grab lunch,” Zach piped up, reassured with Owen's display of affection. “You want to come with?”

 

Kelli shook her head after a brief pause. “Oh, no. I...I'm good, actually. I'm meeting up with someone from the Aviary...” Her eyes still flickered back and forth between the two of them as if unable to comprehend the pair.

 

“Oh, too bad,” Zach sighed. “Well, you ready to go, Owen?” He turned and smiled upward.

 

“Oh, yeah,” Owen answered. “I'm starving. See you later, Kelli!” He gave a quick smile and tugged Zach along in the direction of the motorcycle.

 

“You know,” Zach began after clambering on behind Owen, “I almost feel bad for the poor girl. You're a hard man to resist.”

 

Owen twisted to look over his shoulder. “No, you don't.”

 

“I do not.” Zach slid closer and wrapped his arms around Owen's waist, locking his fingers together at the hard-packed muscles of his boyfriend's stomach. He rested his head against the back in front of him. “Now come on. Let's go prove our relationship somewhere else.” Owen kicked off, and they began to speed down the jungle path to the mainland. 

 

Kelli requested a transfer to the Gentle Giants exhibit within the week. 

 

She also hooked up with Joe from security.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe I was mean to Kelli, but whatever. No one disrupts the order of Zachwen. You mess with the raptor, you get the claws. Also, I hope Joe had herpes...


	27. NOT A CHAPTER (yet)

While this isn't an official chapter, I'm here to let you know that I've started a new work (entitled "What Would Andy/Peter/Owen Do?"). It's comprised of a bunch of headcanons (that I'm currently taking requests for) that involve my top three Chris Pratt characters in each one: Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation, Peter Quill from Guardians of the Galaxy, and last but DEFINITELY not least, Owen Grady from Jurassic World. Just shoot me a headcanon request, and I'll gladly fill it. Please refrain from the subjects of self-harm or rape, but other than that, keep 'em coming! I'm throwing up a new Zachwen chapter pretty soon, but in the meantime don't forget to subscribe to my new work! I put up a sample chapter of my new work tonight to see how the reception is, so please go and check it out!


	28. NOT A CHAPTER (yet)

While this isn't an official chapter, I'm here to let you know that I've started a new work (entitled "What Would Andy/Peter/Owen Do?"). It's comprised of a bunch of headcanons (that I'm currently taking requests for) that involve my top three Chris Pratt characters in each one: Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation, Peter Quill from Guardians of the Galaxy, and last but DEFINITELY not least, Owen Grady from Jurassic World. Just shoot me a headcanon request, and I'll gladly fill it. Please refrain from the subjects of self-harm or rape, but other than that, keep 'em coming! I'm throwing up a new Zachwen chapter pretty soon, but in the meantime don't forget to subscribe to my new work! I put up a sample chapter of my new work tonight to see how the reception is, so please go and check it out!


	29. 'Tis the Season

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I have my own Tumblr page now! Come visit me at dahlia-of-the-endless.tumblr.com! Heads up, it's more than Chris Pratt now. I've gotten into Supernatural, so I'll be posting some stuff on there about that as well. Among other things! Come check me out! And please don't be weirded out by my obsession with Crowley...

Zach stirred in his sleep, reality's persistencies beginning to break through his early morning slumber. Routinely, he stretched out his right arm in search of the usual heat that resided beside him; however, his hand only met cool sheets. Still feeling on the verge of going back to sleep, he opened his eyes a smidgeon and saw the pushed-back blankets on the bed. It had to still be before eight at least, and Owen had told him he would have the day off. Maybe something had come up at the paddock?

 

The sound of something crashing (followed by a loud, “Dammit!”) told him otherwise.

 

Zach groaned a bit while he slipped out of bed, and he stood for a moment to wipe the sleep from his eyes. Following his first footsteps out of the room was the sound of metal dragging against wood. He narrowed his eyes, slipped on the first t-shirt he saw (which just so happened to be one of Owen's), and stepped out of the bedroom to find the source of all the noise.

 

He did a double-take when he saw what appeared to be a large tree sliding across the tiny den. “What the hell?” He asked.

 

Suddenly, Owen's head popped out from behind the tree, and a smile split his face. “Morning!” He greeted Zach cheerily. 

 

Okay, so this was normal.

 

“What exactly are you doing...?”

 

Owen's eyes lit up. “I'm decorating. For Christmas!” It seemed as though Owen had just rolled out of bed to begin decorating! In fact, he was bare-chested still, and he sported a bad case of bed head.

 

That's when Zach noticed the storage containers stacked in the corner. Good god...that was a lot of stuff. Shaking his head, he looked back at his fiance. “You do realize we just finished October, right? Usually there's something called...Thanksgiving...?” 

 

“Close enough. Point is, I love Christmas. And anything I can do to make it feel more like Christmas on this hell-temperatured island is worth it.”

 

“I never pictured you for the mistletoe and candy canes type of guy,” Zach laughed a little while Owen straightened the tree in the corner. “More like...the 4th of July or...hell, even labor day type of guy. Barbecuing, fireworks, you know?”

 

Owen finished dusting off his hands and pulled the smallest container close to him to open up. “Well,” he shrugged, “I'm full of surprises.” He pulled out a meticulously wrapped coil of Christmas lights, sat them on the ground, and began digging through various ornaments. 

 

“Don't tell me you have a Christmas sweater...” Zach narrowed his eyes, though he bit his tongue to keep from laughing out loud at the thought. 

 

“Don't be ridiculous!” Owen waved his hand in dismissal. Then, after a long pause... “It's a Christmas sweater t-shirt.”

 

“Oh god,” Zach released a small chuckle, only to be hit in the face by a soft cloth. “Hey!” He sputtered in protest while searching for the offending object. A Santa hat lay on the ground before him. He rolled his eyes. “Owen, I hope you don't...” He looked up and saw Owen digging through the box with a matching hat perched on his head proudly. “Of course.”

 

Ignoring the hat, Zach stepped around the small coffee table to peer in the box as well. Inside were various ornaments, tinsel, and he could have sworn he spotted a gingerbread candle. “Holy crap. You really do love Christmas.”

 

“It's the most wonderful time of the year,” Owen retorted in a singsong voice.

 

“What all's in the other boxes?” Asked Zach, purposely ignoring the personal caroler. 

 

'Mmm...that one has music and stockings.” Owen pointed at a small blue bin. “The big green one has the outdoor lights and décor, and that one right there has the bigger decorations.”

 

“You aren't gonna slow down, are you?”

 

“Not a chance, babe.” Owen flashed a million dollar smile. “Come on! It'll be fun! We can decorate together for our first Christmas with one another...” He gave his head a little tilt, knowing Zach found that irresistible. Damned flirt.

 

A small smile spread across Zach's face. “Fine, okay. I'll help, but I'm not wearing a damn hat.”

 

“But-”

 

“-No.” He crossed his arms and let Owen consider the ultimatum.

 

After a moment, the older man sighed. “Fine. But I do believe you owe me something.” His voice took on a sultry tone.

 

“Oh, yeah?” Zach asked. 

 

Owen removed a decorative sprig of mistletoe from the box and dangled it above his head mischievously. “Yeah.”

 

“You're such a sap,” Zach laughed, though a tiny blush was creeping into his cheeks. Sappiness aside, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Owen's, thoroughly enjoying the way the man's unshaven stubble scratched his skin roughly. He could get used to 24/7 Christmas if it was to be like that all the time. He might even have to hide some mistletoe himself...

 

Owen pulled back with a smug smile. “Ready to get to work?”

 

“Sure,” Zach answered. “But why don't we have breakfast first? I can cut your pancakes into gingerbread men if you'd like.” He grinned as he teased Owen, but the raptor trainer simply retrieved something from the box and pressed it into Zach's hand. 

 

“Awesome. I've even got candy canes if you want.” He pressed a quick kiss to Zach's cheek and strode away before he could respond.

 

Looking down, he saw a gingerbread man cookie cutter. He began to wonder then if Owen didn't grow up with the elves themselves...

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

“Well, Zach, what do you think? Not bad for a couple of island guys, huh?” Owen nudged Zach's shoulder. 

 

Zach had to admit, even he hadn't thought much of Owen's decorating skills. However, the bungalow looked like a float in the Macy's parade. That was only accented by the glowing snowmen and reindeer dotting the yard. He wondered if Barry knew about Owen's obsession with the holidays.

 

“You aren't lying,” Zach answered finally. “We did good. Well...you did. But I think I supervised pretty well if I do say so myself.”

 

Owen just chuckled and hooked a strong arm around his waist, tugging him tightly against his warm side. “I guess you'll just have to owe me again.”

 

“If you have mistletoe in your pocket, I swear to God. I'm gonna shove a candy cane-”

 

“-No worries,” Owen smirked. “I think I'll wait until after my famous hot chocolate milkshakes to collect.”

 

He began to tug Zach back in the bungalow, the smaller brunette gazing at him curiously all the way in. “How are they hot chocolate milkshakes? They can't be hot.”

 

“Duh, they taste like-”

 

“-So they're just chocolate milkshakes.”

 

“Well, no. You see, they're hot chocolate without the hot.”

 

“I'm pretty sure that makes them just chocolate.”

 

“But...mini marshmallows...”

 

“So...rocky road milkshakes?”

 

“No! They're hot chocolate milkshakes!” 

 

Zach laughed at Owen's expression. He could already tell that this Christmas was sure to be full of cheer. Then he caught sight of the mistletoe poking out of Owen's back pocket. Make that cheer...

 

And other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember, visit me on Tumblr!!!! (or may you forever be infected with butt boils) <3 <3 <3


	30. Nicknames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: ULTIMATE CHEESINESS FOLLOWS
> 
> Also, I know this probably isn't very good, but I couldn't find a way to bring the idea into an actual working plot, so it's just kind of thrown together from whatever popped into my head. Sorry if it's too cheesy, but I did my best. I wish I could have made it work better, though, because the suggestion for this was genius.

“Do I really have to ride the stupid thing back?” Zach complained. “I always feel sick.”

 

“Sorry,” Owen shrugged. “The jeep's getting repaired, so you're stuck with good old Darla for now.” He rubbed the handles of his motorcycle lovingly.

 

Zach rolled his eyes and slowly approached the bike. It wasn't that he was afraid to ride it, as he'd done that plenty of times before. The problem was that it always made him feel slightly drunk. Everything moved too fast for his taste. Owen noticed his glares directed towards the bike, and he made a soft face. “Come on, Zach... If you don't complain, I'll do that thing you like tonight...” A casual wink was thrown in Zach's direction, and the younger boy blushed. Maybe he could last for a ten minute ride.

 

“Fine,” he conceded.

 

“Saddle up, Darlin',” Owen winked and patted the area behind him.

 

Zach groaned. “What did I say about the nicknames?” He gently swung a leg over the seat and adjusted himself accordingly behind his boyfriend, refusing to acknowledge just how damn good it felt to be that close. Or... how good it may have felt to be called something affectionate. 

 

“That was barely a nickname!” Owen protested. “It's different if I actually called you something like 'Sugar Pie' or 'Sweet Pea'-”

 

“-I swear to God, Owen Sheldon Grady, if you ever call me either of those things, I'm going to kill you.”

 

The icy voice in Owen's ear told him Zach wasn't lying about that, but he could help the tiny grin that crossed his face. “No problem, Pumpkin.” With that, he kicked off the bike and began zooming down the path to the bungalow, not giving Zach even a fraction of a second to think about punching him.

 

That was only the beginning of the onslaught of awful, disgusting, cheesy nicknames.

 

It would happen at any given time. Zach could be in a completely different room, and Owen would call out, “Hey, Brown-eyes! Have you seen my toolbox?”

 

If Zach was making the bed, he would be surprised by firm hands on his waist and warm breath in his ear as Owen would whisper something along the lines of, “Hey, Hot Stuff. Why fix the bed? I'm just planning on getting it dirty again real soon.”

 

Zach didn't know what was worse. The nicknames, or the fact that on some level he was actually enjoying being teased by Owen. Each one revealed some deeper emotion or viewpoint the man had towards Zach, whether he was kidding or not. And, cheesy as they may have been, it was kind of... cute... hearing them come from the big, bad raptor man. The one that usually had his stoney walls put up around the public eye. It would be funny to have his employees hear him use a dumb pet name.

 

It wasn't that they were all bad, either. Some were normal affectionate title that he could deal with, like 'babe', 'honey', or even 'darling' wasn't that bad. At least Owen wasn't going over the top with romanticism to call him 'his beloved' or something like that in Spanish. Though, hearing the man speak Spanish might actually have sounded pretty hot... God know the faint accent he had made Zach weak at the knees sometimes.

 

Owen knew more than he let on. He could tell when he got Zach flustered. All it took was some slight observations of the pink tinge that grew in the boy's cheeks, or the way his teeth would instantly tug on his lower lip. If he listened closely enough, he could probably hear the little exhalation of air from Zach's mouth. And boy, did it make him feel good to have a one-up on his boyfriend.

 

“So, Hon Bun...” He began one evening, trailing his hands from Zach's shoulders down over his hips. “Whadya say we have some fun?” His lips pecked gently at the nape of Zach's neck, and he waited patiently for the miniscule sigh sure to come.

 

It didn't.

 

Instead, there was only a small chuckle as Zach turned around, and Owen knew something was up. He waited with a raised eyebrow until Zach stopped and winked. “Come on. You can do better than that, Alpha.” He emphasized the title of 'Alpha', and Owen would be damned if that didn't make his pants feel a lot tighter than they were. His breath hitched in his throat, and he felt the blood that continued to rush to his downward regions.

 

“What's the matter?” Zach asked. “I thought you liked nicknames. Besides, if-hey! What the fuck?” Zach was cut off when Owen scooped him up and held him over his shoulder, already marching down the hall to the bedroom. 

 

“I think we've reached an understanding,” he growled. 

 

Zach just gave a small pause before chuckling. “I guess we have, Alpha.”

 

Owen squeezed his eyes shut.

 

Fuck.


	31. Massage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry... I tried. I just really wasn't sure how to do this one. Maybe it'll live up to expectations?

“Zach?”

 

Zach looked up from the pile of clothes in front of him at the familiar sound of Owen's voice. Setting a folded pair of pants aside, he straightened and followed the source to the den. Owen had just gotten home from work, which was odd because usually he stayed a bit later. “Hey!” Zach greeted him, stepping forward for their usual greeting.

 

Owen grasped his forearms gently and smiled softly, pulling him in for a tender kiss. It was softer today, his lips molding against Zach's instead of fighting for dominance. Even his hands were gentle as they rubbed his arm. When they finally pulled apart, Zach smiled curiously. “Is something wrong?” He asked. Something was definitely off about his favorite raptor trainer.

 

Owen just shook his head and continued to hold him close. “No, nothing's wrong,” he answered assertively. “I've just had a long day.” The spark in his green eyes was more of a dull gleam, but at least it was still there. 

 

“Hoskins?” Zach asked suspiciously. His stomach knotted at the pure mention of that asshole's name. If idiocy had an incarnation, it would be him. Not to mention he was creepy as hell. 

 

Owen nodded. “InGen's stepping up their game. They keep sending new evaluators over to check the girls' progress.” His lips tightened into a thin frown. “They're petitioning for a field test... soon.” He rubbed across his face with one callused palm and a hard sigh. “What I wouldn't give for a vacation.”

 

Zach rubbed Owen's firm forearm, knowing that the man wouldn't take a vacation even if it was offered. He had to stay and protect his oddball family of velociraptors. Still, it infuriated Zach at the thought of ignorant InGen assholes giving Owen a hard time. He'd love to get his hands on one of those dinosaur prod things... He looked up at his fiancee's face, a soft smile on his own. “Why don't you go take a shower, and I'll fix dinner? Try and relax while you're home.”

 

“Yeah...” Owen nodded before taking Zach's hand and kissing his knuckles. His stubble tickled the skin there, making the younger boy shiver a bit. “I love you,” he told him sincerely.

 

Zach tried to pretend his breath didn't hitch in his throat or that his stomach didn't tighten. He covered his normal 'freak out' reaction with a small smirk. “Yeah, yeah, you big teddy bear. I love you, too. Now go.” He nudged Owen. “You're sweaty.”

 

Owen just laughed and poked at him. “You're lucky I'm too tired to chase you.”

 

“Maybe you're just getting old,” Zach teased, but he squeezed Owen's hand and walked away to the kitchen.

 

Owen's chuckle disappeared gradually down the hallway.

 

Zach rummaged through a pantry for a few minutes, weighing the various options they had. He really needed to make a run to the mainland for groceries sometime the next day. Luckily they had enough ingredients for one of Owen's favorite meals, and Zach gathered up everything to place on the counter. They may have lived on a Central American island, but Owen's taste for tacos had not been diminshed at all over the years he'd resided there.

 

“You're the best.”

 

The sudden voice made Zach jump a little, but he relaxed and smiled when he spotted Owen in the corner of the doorway. He wore a pair of gym shorts and a black navy tee. He seemed a little more himself, and Zach placed the seasoning down. “I just thought you might want something you actually like. Other than pizza.” Many a night had been spent with frozen pizzas in the oven, as neither of them cared much in ways of food. It was when Zach finally found a load of old receipts that he realized the habit had to be kicked.

 

Owen chuckled and moved into the kitchen with the smallest of winces. Zach, however, noticed and immediately frowned, ignoring the meat thawing on the counter. “What's wrong?”

 

“Nothing,” Owen waved a hand in dismissal, but Zach just frowned deeper. 

 

“Yeah, sure. What's wrong?”

 

“Oh my god...” Owen rolled his eyes. “Fine, I pulled something in my back today, and it's giving me some trouble, but I already took a Tylenol, so... I'll be fine.”

 

Zach narrowed his eyes. “You didn't look fine a second ago.”

 

“Well I am now.” Owen challenged his intense gaze, but the Alpha seemed to be losing the fight already.

 

Zach put the meat in the fridge and ushered Owen out of the kitchen, tugging him to the couch. “Lay face-down,” he commanded with a stern finger. 

 

Owen looked at him and saw that he was dead serious. “Zach...” he whined like the overgrown child he was. “I'm fine!”

 

“Well maybe this is for me. Lay down. Now.” His gaze hardened, and Owen sighed before gently spreading out on the sofa. He grunted when he finally settled. “Happy now?”

 

“Take off your shirt.”

 

“Jesus, Zach! What are you-?”

 

“-I swear to god, Owen.”

 

Owen groaned and stripped the tight t-shirt off before tossing it on the ground harder than necessary. “Why?”

 

Zach didn't say anything. Instead, he clambered onto the couch and settled himself atop Owen directly behind his back. The hard, tanned skin drew his attention immediately. Even relaxed, Owen had more muscles than a Greek god. Strong, broad shoulders gave way to wide, hard shoulder blades, all fitting in perfect synchrony with the smaller, less noticeable muscles dotting his lower back. It may have been for Owen, but the situation was working in Zach's favor.

 

He started at the base of Owen's neck, gently massaging the skin there while trying to guage Owen's reaction. The man had gone from a curious smirk to closed eyes and an open mouth. “Oh...” was all he could muster. Zach smiled and moved even lower.

 

A small shift rocked Owen's body, and he seemed to sink lower into the couch cushions. “You... don't... have to... do this...” He groaned.

 

“Mmm. I want to, though,” Zach answered. He found a knot in the left side of Owen's back, and he dug in a little harder, trying to work it out. The older man hummed, vibrations tingling Zach's hands. 

 

“Is that better?” Zach asked.

 

“Mmmmmm....”

 

He smirked to himself and continued the massage. He thought so.

 

The hard, warm skin felt good under his fingertips and palms, and he was glad Owen wasn't able to see his reactions every time a shift would send ripples across the muscular back beneath him. The man was just so massive! A shudder shook him from his thoughts, and he felt a warm chuckle beneath him.

 

“You okay up there?”

 

“Fine,” he answered, perhaps a little too quickly.

 

Owen twisted his head a smidgeon to smirk up at him. “As good as this feels, I think I'm well enough to move around now. Why don't we trade places?”

 

Zach was kept from rolling his eyes by the low growl that bit at the edge of Owen's already gruff tone. “The couch may be a bit small, don't you think?” He managed to get out. 

 

“Probably so.”

 

There was few seconds of stillness before Zach was hurrying to the bedroom, Owen hot on his heels with no muscular hinderances whatsoever.


	32. Help Me Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach is having trouble sleeping, and Owen might just be able to help with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY got my new laptop after my old one crashed!!! Here we go again, my friends. Hopefully, things will get back to normal. I miss being able to update every week.

“Owen...”

 

“Owen!”

 

“OWEN!!!”

 

Owen Grady let his head fall back against the back of his worn leather sofa, his face sporting a mixed expression of both annoyance and amusement. He placed the latest report portfolio next to him and clicked the pen shut. There was no use in trying to fill anything out with a demanding Zach Mitchell around. He twisted his head in the direction of their shared bedroom with a raised eyebrow, even though he knew it wouldn't be seen. “What?!” He called out.

 

There was a small pause, almost as if the younger boy hadn't expected to receive a response. Owen's mouth twitched up in a small smirk, and his eyes focused sharply when the figure of his boyfriend slowly shuffled into the doorway some seconds later. Even though it was important that he got the files submitted to HQ as soon as possible, he couldn't help but stop to admire Zach's ruffled hair and contradictingly-adorable pout. A blanket was gathered around his small shoulders, even though it must have been at least seventy-five degrees or above in the bungalow.

 

Owen said nothing, only gazing expectantly. Several seconds passed with silent eye contact, but Zach finally broke to mumble, “I can't sleep...” His soft brown eyes flickered over Owen's bare-chested form before resting on the floor.

 

“Have you tried counting sheep?” Owen teased, unable to resist the urge he battled with 24/7.

 

“Owen-”

 

“-Well... I mean, it's raptors for me, but-”

 

“-Owen!” Zach whined, tilting his head back and exposing that deliciously pale neck of his. “I'm serious.” 

 

A chuckle rumbled low in Owen's throat, and he stretched languidly before standing, not missing the way Zach's eyes quickly flitted over his body (he would need to remember to mention that later...). “Come on. Let me tuck you in...”

 

“Not funny,” Zach muttered, his cheeks glowing softly under the lamplight of the den. He turned and shuffled back into the bedroom with Owen right behind him.

 

A soft creaking of springs, the shuffling of blankets, and a few teasing jokes later, Zach was secure and snuggled up in the veteran raptor trainer's strong, tanned arms, cheek pressed tightly over the older man's beating heart. Owen's hands lay heavy and warm on his abdomen, securing him in a close embrace that just came about so naturally. 

 

“Well...?” Owen asked him, dropping a kiss to the shell of his ear.

 

“Comfortable. Just can't sleep.” Though, his voice didn't sound that annoyed anymore. 

 

“Maybe that's a good thing...” Owen smirked, eyes lighting up at all the possibilities...”

 

“No,” Zach smiled softly, finger tracing an odd shape into Owen's left pectoral muscle. “Sorry, I'm just tired.” And he truly did sound apologetic. 

 

“Oh, well,” Owen sighed, his mouth dipping into a disappointed frown. “What do I need to do to help?”

 

Zach was quiet for a long time, so long that Owen thought he had slipped off to sleep. However, his voice sounded eventually, and it was so quiet that Owen had to listen again to figure out what he had said.

 

“Tell me a story.”

 

He sounded so pitiful and tiny that Owen wanted to keep him wrapped up and protected forever, not that he wouldn't already try to do so as it was. His hold tightened instinctively, and Zach hummed pleasantly, nuzzling his nose up to the underside of Owen's jaw. 

 

“Please?” He kissed at the scruff that dotted his rugged jawline.

 

Owen chuckled, jostling the boy in his arms. “Fine. You wore me down.” A soft scratch on the back had Zach nestled back down and purring happily. Owen rested his head back down on his pillow and thought for a long moment. Well... there was the time he got lost on a nature hike back in middle school... Then there was the time he took down his first bully. That one ended up with him in the hospital, so it was probably best he not share it... Finally, he smiled.

 

“Have I ever told you about when the girl's were babies?”

 

“Only about a billion times...”

 

Owen rolled his eyes. “So you've heard about the time they completely destroyed your aunt's designer skirt?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Wait, what? I didn't think I told you that one.” Owen frowned.

 

“You didn't, but Aunt Claire did. I hear about it every time she visits the paddock,” Zach grumbled against his chest.

 

“Hmph,” Owen muttered. “Well...” He could always take the romantic path. That usually seemed to be an easy way to make the kid relax. “Let me tell you a story about us.” 

 

“About us?”

 

He could detect the apprehension in Zach's tone, but he ignored it. “Yeah! Why not?”

 

“It's worth a shot...”

 

Owen smirked contently and nuzzled against Zach's messy hair. “When I first met you...”

 

“Oh, no...”

 

He gave Zach a pointed look and continued. “As I was saying... when I first met you, I think I changed more than I ever did in my life. You were so different than anyone else...” His voice trailed off as his mind wandered back to the first time he'd laid eyes on Zachary Mitchell. With a withdrawn personality and those deep brown eyes, he'd been intriguing from the start. All it took was the way he had marveled at his raptors for Owen to become thoroughly invested.

 

“The whole time, I was trying to tell myself that I wasn't feeling anything. I tried so hard to ignore you, I promise you I did. But I couldn't help but come back for more.” He smiled softly. “And then I showed you my raptors. Whether you admitted it or not, I saw the way your eyes lit up when you saw them. And the way you looked at me when I started giving them commands. I felt like maybe I'd have a chance. Luckily, I did.” He rubbed Zack's back soothingly. 

 

“It wasn't too bad... our first date, I mean. A little awkward, yeah, but when I saw you that night...” He hummed. “I wanted you more badly than ever. You were so nervous that I thought I'd said something to scare you!” He chuckled. “I'm just glad you got a couple of drinks in you. I probably would have never have kissed you if I didn't think you would stay still long enough for it.” He remembered the taste of tequila and beer. The way the boy's lips had stiffened before finally relaxing and working against his own.

 

“You're the only person I could probably ever talk like this with,” he confessed. “For some reason, you make it to where... to where I don't feel so weird about opening up.” His voice softened. “I've never told someone that I loved them and meant it. But I love you. And I mean it.”

 

He waited for Zach's little laugh or maybe a kiss even, but he finally noticed that the younger boy's breathing had slowed to an even pace, and his fingers no longer traced shapes into his flesh. Peering down, he smiled at the now-sleeping face. “Figures. You would go to sleep when I pour out my heart for you.” A smirk graced his lips, and he thought momentarily about the incomplete raptor reports on the sofa. 

 

It wouldn't kill Claire Dearing to wait one more day for the files.

 

Besides, he couldn't risk waking Zach up, could he?


	33. Computer Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one kind of sucks... It was a great prompt request! It's just... I feel terrible about my rendition of it. It was harder than I thought it would be, so please, please, please forgive me if you don't like this one. I tried for so long to thing of a good way to approach it, and this is the best idea I had.

Zach sighed in relief as he strode into the air-conditioned building where the main command center for the park operated. The filtered air was a welcome relief from the sweltering heat that beat down on everyone not inside. He'd already sweated enough to fill a bucket, and he knew Owen was no different. The only difference between he and his boyfriend was that Owen had grown up where the weather was usually particularly warm. Perhaps that's why he had sent Zach's Madison-born self to deliver files to headquarters. Standing out in the heat all day was threatening to kill him, no matter how good Owen looked under the thin sheen of sweat.

Taking the elevator to the 10th floor, he clutched the thick folder under one arm and set off for his aunt's office. He watched all the employees scrambling about at their workplaces with earpieces in place, babbling senseless crap about “corporate immunities” and “asset expendure ratios.” He shook his head with a small smile. Things were so much more simple at the raptor paddock; there was no way he would ever be able to work in a business office setting, worrying about which font and font size to type with. 

“Hey, Zara, is Claire in?” He stopped outside the office at the end of the hall where a smaller work station was set up for his aunt's assistant.

The British-accented woman looked up from her computer and ceased her typing. “Oh, hello, Zach,” she smiled. “Yeah, she's in there. Go right in.”

“Thanks,” he gave her a quick smile and walked around to the door of the largest office in the building. Giving a small knock, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Claire's office was probably the most organized place in the world. Every book, every folder, every pen... all arranged in perfect order and synchronization. The only décor in the place was the occasional photo frame and a small potted plant in the corner, something not even native to the island, or so it appeared. 

“Zach?” His aunt looked up from her computer, her eyes softening. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

Zach stepped further in and placed the folder of files on her desk. “Owen's got me running more errands,” he smirked. 

She rolled her eyes. “Can he do anything for himself?”

Zach chuckled, fully aware of her and Owen's passive-aggressive relationship. “He can lead velociraptors, but the man is useless when it comes to the small stuff.”

She reached out and took the folder. “I'm surprised. Only a day late this time.”

To be fair, that was because of Zach. Who knew sex could make a good bargaining chip to get work done? Still, he couldn't exactly tell his aunt that. 

“Yeah, I talked him into finishing them early this time.”

“You're a Dearing if I ever met one,” she smiled. Suddenly, her eyes darted down to her monitor, and she sighed. “I don't guess you could help me out with this thing, can you? I've tried to get tech support in here, but apparently there was a mass shutdown on surveillance for Paddock 3, and that requires 'everyone's' attention.” Her green eyes blazed for a split second. 

“Um, yeah, sure.” He stepped around and took her place at the desk, staring at the screen. He began to smirk, and he stood to flip the CPU on its side.

“What is it? What's wrong?”

He popped the lid to the unit and reached around inside, picking up a loose cable. “Your main hard drive got unhooked,” he answered simply. He plugged it back in its slot and noticed something before he removed his hands.

“Hey, how slow is your computer?”

“Well, it's fine. I mean, I guess it's slow about starting up and opening things, but it's fine once I... what?” Claire narrowed her eyes dangerously.

Zach pointed to a long chip in the green forest of circuit boards and cables. “They've got you, the park's operations manager, hooked up with a four gigabyte RAM card. Even most home computers come with eight gigs now.” He rolled his eyes.

“...what?”

Zach laughed and set the CPU back upright. “Four gig cards are the worst. You're probably using at least 3.9 gigs just to keep the computer running. Have tech support replace it with a sixteen gigabyte card. That'll get you running.”

“Can you... like, write this down or something?”

His aunt's unnaturally-blank look made him chuckle, and he reached for a pen and sticky note. “Sorry, I used to spend a lot of time in the lab back at school. Learned all about RAM and processors and all sorts of crap.”

A familiar voice piped up from the doorway to the office. “Who knew computer talk could sound so cute coming from you?”

Both Zach and Claire looked up to the doorway, one pair of eyes getting bigger while the others just narrowed threateningly. Owen Grady braced himself against the doorframe in a tight button-up shirt with his favorite vest, a manilla folder in his hand. 

Blood rushed to Zach's cheeks, and he groaned, burying his face in his hands. “How much of that did you hear?”

“Well, I know that Claire here is just as clueless as I am.” His green eyes twinkled in amusement, and an annoyingly-cute smirk lay plastered on his face.

“I am not clueless...” his aunt hissed under her breath.

Owen's eyes flashed briefly to her before he stepped forward and handed the folder to Zach.

“You forgot these.”

“And you drove all the way out here to give them to me?”

“Actually...” Owen stared pointedly. “I was hoping we could grab lunch. Wanna come, Claire?”

His aunt gave a too-prim smile and folded her hands neatly in front of herself. “Oh, no, thank you, Mr. Grady. I've still got actual work to do.”

She and Owen stared for a long moment until Zach cleared his throat. “Okay, um, so... let's go?” He stood quickly and began to drag Owen away from the desk. “I'll see you later, Aunt Claire!”

“Bye, Zach...” She was still glaring at Owen, but she finally gave a quick smile to him before the door shut.

Zach released Owen's arm and hit him on the side. “Can you not antagonize her?”

“Aw, but screwing with Claire Dearing is what fuels my day!”

“Easy for you to say! She doesn't vent to you every time she's pissed.”

“We need to set her up with someone. She needs to loosen up a bit.” Owen grinned. “What about Jessie?”

Zach scoffed in disbelief. “The same Jessie with tattoo sleeves and a motorcycle-rider beard?”

“He's really good with the girls, though!”

“Owen,” Zach laughed, “the guy crushes beer cans against his forehead.”

The older man smirked. “But can't you just picture her face?”

They stepped into the elevator, and Owen poked at his side, making him squirm and squat at the assailing hand.

“So if the elevator breaks down, are you gonna be able to tell me how to fix that?” He gave Zach a teasing smile.

“Oh, God...” Zach rolled his eyes. “I know, I know, I'm a computer nerd. There's a reason I didn't tell you.” 

Owen cocked his head. “Why? I think it's kind of cute.”

There was a moment of silence, and Zach raised his eyebrows, sneaking a glance at Owen's face to check and see if he was being serious. “Being a computer nerd is cute?”

The doors dinged open, and Owen laughed, taking Zach by the hand and leading him away. “Come on, nerd. You can tell me all about your AV club while we eat.”

Zach glared up at the man but followed him nonetheless. “I wasn't in the AV club,” he muttered.

“Yeah, and I wasn't in the Boy Scouts.”

“Were you?”

“Proud Eagle Scout,” Owen stated matter-of-factly.

He pictured the man in a khaki uniform with a checkered kerchief, rubbing two sticks together in the middle of the woods. A smile broke out across his face, and he finally laughed. “Okay, I definitely don't feel that embarrassed anymore.” They stepped around a workstation and headed for the exit. “But if you tell anybody...” He stared hard at his boyfriend.

“What?”

“I will put twenty different viruses on your laptop.”

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget to leave feedback and/or suggestions for what to write next!


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